Hunters and Predators
by Teanni
Summary: Selina is a member of an ancient tribe living in harmony with nature. A vicious enemy, more beast than man, rises from the midst of her people, threatening all Middle-Earth. A group of warriors gathers to stop him! Legolas/OC Please R&R! COMPLETE
1. A campfire

Disclaimer: I do not own ANYTHING from Tolkien's books - not Aragorn, Gimli, Gandalf or Elrond. Unfortunately not even Legolas *sighs*! The only things that belongs to me are Selina, Tulrah and all the stuff about the Selvadage'tok!!  
  
Please R&R and have fun!!  
  
Chapter 1: A campfire  
  
Her golden eyes gleamed in the dark of the forest. She was one with the wilderness. Her sensitive ears could pick up the rustle of the foliage, the faint dabbling of a spring and the cries of an owl in the distance. But most important of all she could scent the intoxicating smell of power. Its source was very nearby.  
  
In front of her, in the middle of the clearing, sat an old man. He had lightened a little campfire and was contently smoking his pipe. His bearing was very relaxed, as if he didn't have anything to fear. His white hair and beard seemed to glow in the light of the fire.  
  
Could it be? Had she found him?  
  
She decided to risk coming a little bit closer to make sure it was really him. Without making any sound she crept through the coppice. She could now make out his face, which was illuminated by each drag he took from his pipe.  
  
Suddenly his eyes whipped up and bore right into hers. She almost let out a yelp of surprise. The old man chuckled and shook his head with amusement.  
  
"You thought that your presence would pass me by? If you were looking for me you should have know that I would be able to sense you! Now show your face, because I don't like to talk to a pair of eyes hidden in the bushes.", the man said in a friendly, yet commanding voice.  
  
She cringed inwardly. Never had a human being been able to spot her if she didn't want to be seen, but on the other hand he wasn't human. She unconsciously shrugged her shoulders and stepped out on the clearing.  
  
The warm light of the fire engulfed her and revealed her appearance. Her body was athletic and slender. She was clothed in brown leather pants, and a top, made of the same material, that left her belly and her arms uncovered. Her bronzed skin shimmered almost golden in the shine of the flames. Two long, sharp, exotic looking daggers hung from a belt, flashing almost as dangerous as her golden eyes. Her movements were those of a predator, very graceful and soundless. With her fair features and her long straight brown hair, that had a tint of red to it, she was a very attractive, but dangerous beauty to behold. Her face was youthful and she appeared to be no older than twenty five.  
  
She lowered down to a crouched position in front of the fire and cocked her head, challenging the old man to start a conversation. He didn't seem to be irritated by her demeanor and calmly continued to blow smoke circles from his pipe.  
  
A few moments passed, then she broke the silence. After all she had a mission and there was no time to be wasted.  
  
"Are you Gandalf the White?", she asked with a velvet voice.  
  
He seemed to contemplate her question, squinting his eyes together, but remained quiet.  
  
After a few minutes of silence he finally spoke. "I have heard a lot about your kind. You are a member of the Selvadage'tok, aren't you? I never thought I would meet one in person."  
  
She stared into the flames unflinchingly, sitting there motionless like a statue. "I am Selina. And yes, I am a Selvadage'tok. Now I've given you my name. I think it would be only fair if you told me yours, too.", she answered.  
  
"I am the one you were searching for. I am Gandalf the White.", he replied and for a moment, at the mention of his name, his figure seemed to radiate with sheer power. Just as quick as this change had come it disappeared again and he went back to his normal self, looking as harmless as the old traveller he appeared to be.  
  
"What brings you here out of the seclusion of your secret valley?", Gandalf asked curiously with a contemplative look on his face. "Do you need help?"  
  
Selina let out a brief laugh and her eyes sparkled with amusement. "No, in fact it is the other way round. I believe it is you, who requires my assistance. I came here to warn you and to offer my help!", she paused for a moment.  
  
A concerned look settled on her beautiful features. "Middle-Earth is in danger and I fear it is the fault of the Selvadage'tok, Gandalf! "  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Selina ran over a wide spread plain. This was the last part of the arduous coming of age ceremony, the Erdulbe, which every young Selvadage'tok had to pass in order to become a fully accepted member of society. Just a few meters behind her ran a young male, her brother Tulrah.  
  
They had always been involved in a sort of friendly competition since their childhood. The Selvadage'tok society made no difference between men and women. So both had been trained in the ways of the warriors, healers and shamans, to be later able to decide which way of life they would choose, when they would come of age.  
  
Selina could already see the lake of Lakur in the distance where their race would end. She felt her brother coming closer and tried to mobilize the last remains of strength she could muster.  
  
A few moments later the they both arrived almost contemporaneously at the lake shore and collapsed, trying to catch their breath. When they had recovered a bit, Selina walked over to her brother and slapped him lightly on shoulder.  
  
"You did very well, Tulrah! I'm proud of you!", she smiled at him.  
  
"As I'm of you, sister!", he answered.  
  
Suddenly they became aware of the presence of the shaman and immediately became quiet. They lowered their heads in a gesture of respect and both kneeled down in front of the old woman, who sat on a large rock on the shore of the lake.  
  
Their big moment had come, now they would be joined forever with their totem animals!  
  
The shaman began to speak and the wisdom of ages vibrated in her voice.  
  
"Greetings to you, young Selina and Tulrah! Today you will cross the sill to adulthood and perform your transformation to become true Selvadage'toks! Now your minds and bodies will become one with the your spiritual guides, your totems!"  
  
Both siblings closed their eyes and tried to relax, preparing themselves for the ritual, which was about to ensue.  
  
The old women began to chant in a language long forgotten. She held a bowl in her hands, from which rose smoke. Its blue swirls began to take the different forms of various animals.  
  
The shaman's eyes glowed and the air seemed to crackle with energy around her. Suddenly two bolts of flashing white light shot out of her hands and hit Selina and Tulrah.  
  
***********************************************************Selina dreamed that she was still running over the plain. Everything seemed so peaceful. A soft breeze blew over the grass, which moved back and forth as the waves of the sea. She felt free and totally at peace with herself. She turned her head to her right to look at her surroundings.  
  
To her surprise she found that she wasn't alone. A few meters from her a black panther ran across the plain, its muscles flexing with each graceful movement it made. She froze dead in tracks and to her astonishment it did exactly the same.  
  
Under normal circumstances she would have kept a respectful distance from this dangerous predator, but now she felt no fear, only serenity and calmness. So she stepped closer to the panther and extended her hand to touch it. It softly nuzzled her palm with its nose and then rubbed his head against it in an affectionate gesture.  
  
She kneeled down, so that she came face to face with the panther and could look it straight into its golden eyes. Selina got lost in their depths, almost drowning in them. Nothing else seemed to exist, but this golden colour. It was around her, penetrated her soul, her mind and her body. It was everywhere! ***********************************************************  
  
Suddenly Selina awoke. She lay stretched out on soft grass. It took her a few seconds to remember where she was. The ritual....the shaman.....her brother! Selina sat up breathing heavily.  
  
The old women was still sitting on the rock and was now smiling at her proudly. Selina looked around to see her brother lying on the floor next to her. He hadn't woken up yet, so she decided she better left him alone.  
  
She stood up to approach the shaman. The ritual hadn't ended yet. She had already joined spiritually with her totem animal, but the process had still to be completed. Selina had yet to drink a draught of water from the holy lake offered to her by the shaman.  
  
The old woman took her by the hand, let her to the lake and dipped the bowl into the water. She held it to her forehead murmuring a spell at which the liquid began to glow eerily. Then she offered it to Selina.  
  
The young woman hesitated briefly, but then summoned her courage and hastily gulped down one huge draught of water. After this she handed the bowl back to the shaman.  
  
Suddenly she felt very dizzy. The world around her seemed to spin and she collapsed to the floor. She looked around in panic. What was happening?  
  
The old woman sensed her distress. "Do not worry Selina. This is the last step of the ritual. Your body is now taking over some of the abilities and characteristics of your totem. Don't struggle against it or the process will become more painful! ", she explained, trying to calm the young Selvadage'tok.  
  
Selina's body contorted in pain and she felt as if her blood was burning inside her veins. She let out a strangled cry, but it didn't come out as a human voice. Instead the mighty roar of a panther resounded over the quiet lake.  
  
After a view minutes the pain began to recede gradually and the only feeling that remained was that of complete and utter exhaustion. It took all her effort to sit up.  
  
She lazily looked around for the shaman and her brother. She spotted them a stone's throw away from her. The old women was just about to offer the sanctified water to him.  
  
Then something happened Selina would never forget in all her life! Tulrah brutally ripped the bowl out of the old woman's hands and greedily gulped down its whole content. The shaman let out a cry of horror. Then the transformation began.  
  
Normally the Selvadage'toks would only assume some of the characteristics of their totem, like Selina did. She had received the panther's keen senses, its feline and graceful ability to move and fight, night vision and, as a little bonus, its fangs.  
  
But Tulrah had drunken the whole bowl instead of just one draught. Now his hands began to distort and his fingers transformed into sharp claws. She could see his body convulse in pain, but suddenly it shot upright. His figure grew and seemed to radiate with pure strength and power. Then she heard a blood chilling howl, she would never forget as long as she lived.  
  
The thing, that once was her brother shot forward and attacked the shaman. She could only sit there helplessly and watch, because she was still too weakened from the ritual to intervene.  
  
The old woman's screams resounded in her head and she desperately tried to crawl over to them, just to do anything. Selina's hypersensitive hearing picked up the terrible noises of the fight and she felt nausea creep up inside of her.  
  
Suddenly everything was completely silent. Selina lay there unmovingly, seized by utter dread. All of a sudden she was pulled to her feet and came face to face with the blood stained grimace of the creature half man half beast, that once had been her brother Tulrah.  
  
But she soon had to realize that the person she once knew and loved was gone, because she could see nothing but malice and hatred in his hideous piercing red eyes.  
  
Then the creature spoke with a voice that sounded more like a hiss than anything else.  
  
"Now, dear sister, we will see who is better! Look at you! You are pathetic. A little worm squirming at my feet. Weak and totally helpless. I am the power now and that's all that matters."  
  
She struggled to fight back tears. He had just killed. Not just any woman, but the shaman.  
  
"You just butchered a holy woman ! By the Valar, what have you done, Tulrah?"  
  
"What have you done? What have you done!", he exclaimed, mimicking her voice.  
  
"I have killed that bitch! I thought you watched the whole thing. And I will tell you a little secret..... she will not be the last. Do you know what I want?", Tulrah spat.  
  
Selina looked at him in horror.  
  
"I want to see that look of fear on everybody's faces. I think I will go on a little trip. I heard that the rest of Middle-Earth is a particular nice place to be this time of the year. So see you around, sister!" He let her weak body slump to the floor unceremoniously.  
  
Tulrah was already slowly walking away, but stopped to turn around one last time. "I guess you are still wondering what totem I'm joined with....Well all of them!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~end of flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Selina had finished her story and look up to meet Gandalf preoccupied look. Her tale had verified some of his suspicions and perhaps it was time to reveal to her what he knew. "A few weeks ago I came to know about a new power that was rising in the East near the land of Mordor", he paused and took a long drag from his pipe.  
  
"People talked about an army of evil creatures: Orcs, Trolls, Uruk-Hai and Easterlings, united by the cruelty of one evil warlord. They raided some human villages, leaving a trail of destruction and murder everywhere they went. The few survivors of those attacks, reported, if they lived long enough to do so, to have seen a human beast, a vicious demon, incomparable in its malice and blood lust."  
  
"Tulrah....", Selina whispered and her eyes gleamed like hot coals.  
  
"Yes, I fear that it was him and he is becoming more powerful by the minute, his number of followers increasing as we speak. You must tell me everything there is to know about him!"  
  
She rose from her crouched position near the fire and sat down next to Gandalf with a sigh.  
  
"Where should I begin? There is so much to tell. He is...was my brother after all", her hands clenched to fists at her last words.  
  
Gandalf looked at the young woman full of compassion. She had already suffered a lot and he feared that the days, that still lay ahead of her would not be easy either.  
  
"Well.....", she took a deep breath, "Our people do not age like humans do. We can live a few thousand years or just die in our early twenties. It all depends on whether we want to continue our lifes or not. If a member Selvadage'tok decides he doesn't want to live anymore, he ages and dies. It's as simple as that.", she shrugged her shoulders. "So the threat my brother poses is not just a temporary one. It can stretch out over centuries and with the power of all the totem animals he will be as good as unstoppable."  
  
The old Istari raised his eyebrows in surprise. "What exactly will he be able to do with this power?"  
  
"You mean besides being theoretically able to control almost every animal on Middle-Earth? Not much!" she answered with bitter sarcasm in her voice and regretted her harsh words almost immediately.  
  
"I'm sorry! I didn't want to offend you! I'm just incredibly exhausted and we don't have any time to lose."  
  
"You are right, Selina. We have to stop him and we will need some experienced and skilled warriors for this task", he said in a determined voice. "And I just might know some friends who can help", Gandalf added conspiratorially. 


	2. Travelling broadens one's horizon

Chapter 2: Travelling broadens one's horizon  
  
GONDOR  
  
Aragorn awoke with a start. He sat up in bed breathing heavily, the images of his dream still flashing vividly in his mind. Suddenly he felt a soft and soothing hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Mani naa ta, mela en' coiamin? /What is it, love of my life?/ Has your sleep been disturbed by bad dreams?", his wife Arwen asked with her melodious voice.  
  
"I'm not sure, my heart!", he kissed her hand "It might not have been a mere dream. It felt more like a message."  
  
"What did you see?", she looked at him expectantly with her beautiful blue eyes.  
  
"I saw a creature. It was neither human nor beast. Then there was fire, screaming, suffering people and devastated land.", he paused, his forehead in a concerned frown.  
  
"It felt like I was witnessing something that actually happened or is still to come. Then there was Gandalf. I saw him at your father's home in Rivendell. He had a message for me!"  
  
"What was that message?"  
  
"It was just one word: Come!"  
  
~  
  
It was early in the morning and Aragorn was ready to leave behind his duties as the King of Gondor and his beloved wife. He was dressed in an outfit, that was similar to those he had worn during his time as a ranger and Isildur's reforged blade hung at his side.  
  
Only a year had passed since the end of the War of the Ring and yet those events seemed already so far away. Actually it felt to him as if a totally new life had begun from that point in time.  
  
He went from being Strider, who lived out in the wilderness without the need of anybody's company, to being Aragorn, son of Arathorn, heir to the throne of Gondor, one of the most powerful men of Middle-Earth.  
  
He had always wanted to change the world, to make it a better place. Now he actually had the chance to. But as they say - with great power comes great responsibility and that was the reason he was now leaving his relatively peaceful and orderly life behind, to do what every king had to do - protect his people, even if that meant risking his own life.  
  
But the most important change in his life, besides his new responsibilities, was Arwen. For years he had only dreamed about her, admired her secretly from afar and now he was actually married to her. Everyday he discovered something new about her that intrigued him and made him love her even more. Now his heart was heavy at the thought of once again having to leave her behind.  
  
"I wish I could come with you, my love!", she said and it seemed like she had read his thoughts.  
  
He looked up at her and smiled sadly. "And I wish I didn't have to part from you!"  
  
"I know.", she answered softly and stepped closer. They shared one last sweet kiss and just stood there for a few moments with their foreheads leaned against each other, just enjoying intimacy of the moment.  
  
"I fear you have to leave now, Estel.", she sighed sadly and added "You know that I will think of you every minute and every second we are apart. Amin mela lle. Coramin niuve tenna' ta elea lle au'! /I love you. My heart shall weep until it sees you again!/ And now go, before I decide to come with you against my better judgement."  
  
SOMEWHERE DEEP DOWN THE GLITTERING CAVES  
  
Finally! He had found it! Gimli stepped into one of the main caves that glittered like the evening sky, with hundreds and hundreds of precious, sparkling gems, illuminated by the light of his torch. The sight was truly breathtaking and his dwarven heart beat a little bit faster, when he looked at all the riches that surrounded him.  
  
He had been wanting to explore the Glittering Caves further, ever since he had come to visit here with Legolas.  
  
The elf was a valiant, brave warrior and a dear friend, but he had incessantly complained about gloom of the dark and the lack of fresh air, though he grudgingly had to admit later, that this place possessed a certain beauty. Gimli shook his head and grinned amused by the memory.  
  
He kneeled down and began to have a closer look at the gems. There was the black onyx, green emerald, blue sapphire, red ruby and golden-yellow amber.  
  
All the colours of the rainbow seemed to be captured in those precious stones. Gimli spent hours looking at them and picking out the most beautiful ones to take with him as souvenirs, when he would return to the surface.  
  
Somewhere between counting his gems and estimating their value, his eyes shining with joy, he must have fallen asleep. He dreamed the strangest things.  
  
Something about a dangerous, evil man, if you could call him that, because he looked more like a demon, and his army of vicious bloodthirsty creatures. Everything seemed so real, including Gandalf's message, that followed at the end. The whole dream was almost as touchable as the precious stones he had in his pockets.  
  
He awoke with a sad expression on his face and said to himself with disappointment ringing in his voice, "Well, it appears that it is time to leave this little paradise behind and meet Gandalf in Rivendell! After all an adventure wouldn't be complete without a dwarf in it, wouldn't?"  
  
He sighed, picked up his axe and bags and turned to leave the caves.  
  
MIRKWOOD  
  
Legolas was riding through the dark and quiet forest of Mirkwood. He and royal guard had set out to patrol. They had the task of defending the palace against the attacks of the spiders, who lived in Mirkwood and whose number had been increasing drastically just recently. In the course of the night they had killed at least a few dozens of those beasts. Now the elves were all exhausted and slowly making there way back home.  
  
Back in the days, when Legolas was still young, he had greatly enjoyed riding through the woods. In those days they had been more peaceful and less dangerous.  
  
Legolas loved being out in nature, as all elves did, and felt a strong connection with everything in it. He breathed in the fresh and cool smell of the woods, with the air of someone, who could contently look back on a day, or in his case, a night, of hard work.  
  
After a few minutes they arrived at the palace and Legolas went to his room to rest.  
  
A soft breeze blew in from his balcony, rustling through the leaves of the nearby trees. He lay on his bed and listened to the soft and even melody of the wind, his consciousness slowly slipping away from him. Legolas relaxed and gave in to the peaceful sensation of falling asleep, that engulfed him like a warming blanket.  
  
Moments later he shot up to a sitting position. That hadn't been just an ordinary dream! It had been a call! Gandalf was summoning him to Rivendell. He had to help him fight a new foe that threatened Middle-Earth.  
  
He got ready as fast as possible and was on his way.  
  
~  
  
"Are you sure that all three of them got the message you send them?", Selina asked with raised eyebrows. The wizard just smiled in response and motioned her to keep watching.  
  
Selina and Gandalf were both standing on a terrace in Rivendell, from which they could see the arrival of new visitors to Lord Elrond's home.  
  
A few minutes ago a fair faced, blond haired Elf, with a bow and arrows slung over his shoulder had arrived, about whom the old wizard had said that he was Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of the Mirkwood Elves, son of King Thranduil.  
  
She glanced down at him curiously. He seemed to be a proud person, his bearing was regal and graceful.  
  
The elf was just about to lead his horse to the stables, when a dwarf arrived. They both seemed to be close friends and Legolas hurried to greet him. She smiled warmly at the scene and could faintly hear, due to her heightened senses, that they almost immediately began to indulge themselves into companionable banter.  
  
"Legolas and Gimli are the most unlikely kind of friends", Gandalf smiled at her, as he noticed her amusement. She nodded in response, her eyes still fixed on the court below them.  
  
Moments later a rugged looking, dark haired man by the name of Aragorn, as she was told by the wizard, arrived and was welcomed warmly by the other two. Watching them interact, she had the feeling that those three people were linked by a strong bond of friendship that had been forged in time of crisis and despair.  
  
She raised an eyebrow and turned to Gandalf with a sceptic look on her face. "A human, a dwarf and an elf! That is the army with which you intend to defeat my brother?", Selina asked incredulously.  
  
"There is more to them than meets the eye, rest assured. We are talking about the greatest heroes of the War of the Ring."  
  
"Well they better be worth the trouble!", she said. "If you excuse me for a minute, I'm going to introduce myself and take a closer look."  
  
With that she climbed the rail of the terrace and gracefully jumped down from it, landing in the middle of the court in a crouch, just a few meters from the little group of friends.  
  
Her entrance had surely gotten everybody's attention. Nobody survived a jump from a height of ten meters without a scratch that easily.  
  
Selina slowly raised from her crouched position on the floor and casually strode over to the three men, who stared at her in amazement.  
  
"Greetings to you travellers! Gandalf and I were already expecting your arrival. My name is Selina and I'm a Selvadage'tok", she cocked her head and looked at them expectantly with her amber eyes.  
  
Seconds passed without anybody speaking, while the friends were just watching her in fascination. She looked at the baffled faces, that greeted her and couldn't help but grin. The silence was suddenly broken as Selina threw back her head and led out a rich, melodious laugh.  
  
"Well I don't know about you, but my people usually greet each other and introduce themselves properly, after the other person has already done so", she said with amusement ringing in her voice. 


	3. Why can't we be friends?

Chapter 3: Why can't we be friends?  
  
"Forgive us my lady, but...", Aragorn was trying to apologize, but was almost immediately interrupted by Gimli.  
  
"I do not ask for forgiveness, for she surly is some kind of evil demon!", the dwarf exclaimed and reached for his weapon.  
  
"Gimli!", Legolas and Aragorn shouted in unison.  
  
"Do you truly believe she would stand here in Rivendell, the shelter of the elves, if she was a demon, Master Dwarf?", the elf asked, trying to reason with his friend.  
  
"Well look at her! She must be! Those piercing eyes and the little trick she just performed! I stand firm in this - I'm not going to apologize!", Gimli said stubbornly, crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
Selina rolled her eyes. She was beginning to get impatient and the stupid words of the dwarf annoyed her a great deal.  
  
"I suppose you never saw any of my kind before! I could say the same about dwarves, but nevertheless I'm not jumping to any rash accusations as you do, though you truly give me any reason to!", she shot at him, pointedly looking him square in the eye.  
  
"Please, pardon the bad behaviour of our friend Gimli, Lady Selina!", Aragorn said and threw an admonishing glance at the dwarf, "He is very suspicious when it comes to strangers and his tongue is often quicker than his head!"  
  
She nodded and could have sworn she saw the elf's mouth twitch to grin for a split second at Aragorn comment.  
  
"My name is Aragorn, King of Gondor and heir of Isildur!", the human introduced himself, smiling at her friendly. Selina bowed her head in respect to his title  
  
The dwarf would have been next in line, but decided instead on glaring at her menacingly.  
  
The elf shook his head at his friend's childish stubbornness. "I am Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood, son of Thranduil! Please forgive us our rudeness, Lady Selina!"  
  
She smiled warmly in response, unconsciously baring her fangs in the process, at which Gimli gasped loudly.  
  
Selina head whipped around. Now she had had it with this insolent little dwarf! A menacing growl escaped her throat and her eyes sparkled dangerously. With all the effort she could muster she tried to keep her temper in check which was almost about to get the better of her.  
  
"Okay, I get that you don't like me!", she spat at him angrily, keeping herself from ripping his throat out.  
  
"Out of no apparent reason, at least not to me, Gandalf said that we would need your help, Gimli! Either you behave civilized or we have this one out! So pick one!"  
  
"I will not back down! Especially not in front of a demoness like you! Lets fight then!", he answered her proudly.  
  
"Gimli! That's enough! Do you really want to engage in a senseless fight over this!", Aragorn shot at the dwarf.  
  
"What I do is my own concern, Aragorn! If I remember correctly I'm still my own master!", Gimli answered sourly.  
  
Aragorn shrugged shoulders and rolled his eyes in disapproval. There was absolutely no reasoning with this dwarf! He looked over to his elvish friend. Legolas's brow was furrowed and he was silently cursing in elvish.  
  
Selina approached the elf and handed him her weapons. He looked at her in surprise.  
  
"I don't want to kill him, well actually I kind of have the desire to do so right now, but I fear I would regret it later.", she explained.  
  
"Believe me I know how you feel!", he muttered under his breath, so that nobody would have picked it up except another elf or somebody whose hearing was equally keen, as was Selina's.  
  
"Yes, I bet you do!", she added in the same hushed voice. Legolas's eyebrows shot up in astonishment, but he didn't say anything.  
  
Selina walked up to Gimli and positioned herself in front of him. Let the games begin!  
  
"Take your best shot!", she spread her arms and motioned him to hit her with his weapon  
  
"As you wish, demoness!", he exclaimed.  
  
The fight was over within seconds.  
  
Gimli raised his ax to strike a blow at her, which never hit, because she swiftly evaded it with a roll, her movements quick and fluent. Before Gimli could even think of striking again, she delivered a kick to his legs, which effectively knocked him to the ground. She fastly wrenched the weapon out of his hands and stood over him triumphantly.  
  
"Will you apologize know or do you want to humiliate yourself any further in front of your friends? Besides you should take a bath, your odour is an abomination to my sensitive nose!"  
  
"I know when it's time to admit one's defeat....", he answered in an emotionless voice.  
  
She suddenly realized that this would never be settled, unless she backed down herself. If she didn't want to face the enemy alone, she would have to put up with this fellow.  
  
Though his bad qualities did prevail, Selina had to admit that there were also two or three sides to Gimli that were quite honorable and likable. He seemed to be overly protective of his friends and had a strong sense of honour, from what she could tell.  
  
So she finally extended her hand to him, in order to help him up. "Come now, lets call this even! It's not in my nature anyway to hold grudges for long!"  
  
When she had helped Gimli to his feet, Gandalf entered the court.  
  
"Why didn't you intervene? You could see everything from the terrace, couldn't you?", Selina exclaimed accusingly.  
  
"I figured it would be the best way for you to get acquainted with each other. Besides it didn't seem like you were in any trouble.", the wizard answered calmly with a mischievous smirk on his face. "Now can we go inside? Lord Elrond is waiting for us and I suppose there are many questions to be answered." 


	4. The company of hunters

Chapter 4: The company of hunters  
  
"So that is all we can tell you so far!", Gandalf finished his tale.  
  
For the last hour they had sat at Lord Elrond's library around a polished marble table, while the wizard and Selina had explained the reasons for this urgent meeting, including all the information there was to know about Tulrah and the threat he posed to Middle-Earth.  
  
Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Elrond had listened with great interest, asking some brief questions now and then. Now a depressing silence had sat in, while all of them thought about a solution to this serious problem.  
  
Finally Lord Elrond decided to speak. "So you say he aligned himself with all the totem animals?  
  
"Not with all of them as far as I know! He hasn't been able to join with mine!", Selina answered evenly.  
  
"Which one would that be?", Gimli asked her curiously, forgetting for a moment about his dislike for the Selvadage'tok woman.  
  
"The panther.", answered calmly.  
  
"So you want to tell us that he can actually control every animal, except that one?", Aragorn asked.  
  
"I fear it is a little bit more complicated than that actually.", Selina paused briefly to think about the best possible explanation she could offer to an outsider.  
  
"It is true that we can communicate with our totems, but they will only do as they themselves wish in the end. We can only make suggestions, if they accept or decline them is their decision in the end.  
  
You must also now that most animals lack the ability to distinguish between good and evil, because those concepts are alien to them. They only act out of instinct, out of their will to survive. So the majority of them will be easy to influence.  
  
There are yet others, who choose sides and who are very well aware of what they are doing. We call them the Leaders and those are the most dangerous and potent ones."  
  
"Do you have any idea how we might be able to stop Tulrah?", Legolas asked her.  
  
His question went unanswered and once again. An almost unsupportable silence, that seemed to stretch on forever, sat in.  
  
Gandalf broke the tension by speaking his thoughts out aloud.  
  
"I know of no spell or magical weapon that could help in that matter and I fear that we can't rip those powers away from Tulrah without killing him.", he looked at Selina sympathetically.  
  
The Selvadage'tok woman let out an exhausted sigh. "I feared that it would turn out to be this way! But I'm also aware that the true Tulrah, the one I knew and loved for all my life, wouldn't have wanted to be the cause of destruction and death.  
  
I know that this monster, this thing stands against everything he ever believed in. It is his dark and perverted mirror image and if we have to kill it in order to stop it, so be it. That day on the shore of the lake, when he slaughtered the shaman he sealed his own fate. I know that he has to be stopped and had my time to make my peace with that thought!"  
  
The men looked at her compassionately and marvelled had her grim determination.  
  
"So does anybody have an idea how we should handle this matter?", Elrond asked.  
  
"I would have a suggestion to make.", Gimli offered.  
  
Everybody looked at him expectantly and the dwarf actually surprised them with a well thought-out plan.  
  
"Well Tulrah incorporates the abilities and characteristics of almost all animals.  
  
So I suggest we act as my people usually do, when it comes to dangerous wild beasts - We hunt him down and kill him!  
  
We have to try to attract as little attention as possible and infiltrate the camp at which he stays. As we will probably be a little group we might have success in doing so.  
  
If we get him alone and strike quickly, his then leaderless army will dissolve, as they only stand united because of him, and can be easily beaten."  
  
"A small group will still draw to much attention if we want to enter the camp secretly! It would have to be two people tops!", Selina added when the dwarf had finished.  
  
All nodded in agreement. The plan seemed to get clearer and clearer.  
  
"What about his position? Do we already possess any information about it?", Legolas asked matter- of- factly.  
  
"Not yet but I sent out some scouts, as soon as I got to know about this situation. They should report to me in a few days. His trail is very easy to follow, as he leaves only burned land and death behind him.", Elrond answered.  
  
"But our task will still be very dangerous and involve many risks. Are you aware that this could very well turn into a suicide mission if we are discovered before we get a hold of Tulrah?", Aragorn asked.  
  
Gimli was about to protest, but before he could, Selina spoke up. "What is there to think about if we can save the lifes of many by our death? I see no other way we could stop him. We have no time to gather an army. By the time we would have a sufficient force, his already numerous followers would have doubled. Not to mention all the havoc he can wreak in the meantime. There is no other way!"  
  
There was no protest to be heard. Selina looked from face to face and was only greeted by determined and grim expressions. They had just sealed their one fates. The plan had been made.  
  
"As nobody can be forced to participate in this mission, I will have to ask you who of you agrees to go.", Elrond explained.  
  
"Count me in!", Selina said firmly.  
  
"As well as me!", exclaimed Legolas.  
  
"I will guide you as far as I can!", assured Gandalf.  
  
"And you will have my ax in the hunt! ", Gimli boomed with pride.  
  
"I will go to protect my people! ", Aragorn said.  
  
"Than it is settled! The Company of Hunters has gathered!", Elrond announced. 


	5. Training day

Chapter 5: Training day  
  
Selina stood there in the middle of the court totally motionless, enjoying the sensation of the rays of the rising sun, that warmed her skin. After a few seconds she drew in a deep breath and started her training. She had to be in best shape if she wanted to have at least the ghost of a chance against Tulrah.  
  
Selina stretched and started to move her body in a slow and fluent motion, that would have looked to any spectator as a mixture of fighting and dancing. She finished her warming up routine and was now ready for the actual training.  
  
The Selvadage'tok woman looked around and nodded in approval. Rivendell had the most ideal surroundings for the workout she was planning. There was pavilion and around it, positioned in a circle, in a distant of about three meters or so, several stable looking columns.  
  
She took a short start up and jumped against the middle of one of the columns, then swiftly pushed herself off from it and flipped in the air to land gracefully on top of the pavilion. Her steps were sure and she never faltered for a second. She leaped over the gap between the pavilion and on top of a column, jumping then from one to the other with the grace of a dancer.  
  
Selina suddenly felt a presence, her hypersensitive sense of hearing and smell reacting immediately. She froze in motion and stood still like a statue.  
  
Legolas and Aragorn appeared in the court, apparently they both also wanted to train, as they carried their weapons with them.  
  
"So what do you think about our new companion?", Aragorn asked the elf.  
  
"Her story is truly a sad one! And her people seem to be quite intriguing, other than that I can tell no more, for I know her too little.", Legolas answered.  
  
"Yes, but do you think we can trust her?", the man asked.  
  
"If Gandalf does, we have no reason to question his judgement.", Legolas replied.  
  
"Nevertheless I'm going to keep an eye on her!", Aragorn added.  
  
Selina squinted her eyes together. She didn't like to eavesdrop, but this time it had been inevitable, as everything had happened very quickly.  
  
So winning their trust wouldn't be a walk in the park! Well, she wouldn't have it any other way! It only showed her that they were careful and considerate, which was all the more reason to earn their respect.  
  
She finally decided to make her presence known, jumping down from the column and jogging over to the two men.  
  
"Greetings Aragorn and Legolas! Mind if I join you in training?", she asked them friendly.  
  
"No not at all, because it is necessary to know each other abilities, as we are going to go on this mission to together.", Aragorn answered.  
  
He unshedded his sword and took his fighting stance. "Lets start right now, if you don't mind!"  
  
"Not at all!", she answered and drew her twin daggers.  
  
He attacked her and she could tell immediately by looking at the way he moved that he was a skilled warrior. She blocked his blows and staggered a few steps back, unprepared for the force of them.  
  
So she had to be careful! He was fast, well trained and strong. She had to make up for this with her swiftness and her dexterity. It was challenging and it would be fun!  
  
Selina grinned and cocked her head, motioning him to attack anew. This time she was prepared and evaded his strike with a role. She came to her feet immediately after.  
  
She whirled her daggers around, using them as the naturally extension of her arms. Aragorn blocked her every strike with his sword. They were quite evenly matched.  
  
Their little match seemed to stretch on forever and was still undecided.  
  
"Do you give up?", Aragorn asked panting heavily.  
  
"No, do you?", Selina asked whipping the sweat from her forehead.  
  
Legolas, who had been watching their training fight the whole time, decided to intervene. "How about you call this even?", he tried to mediate.  
  
"No! ", they both shouted in unison.  
  
The elf shrugged his shoulders and crossed his arms over his chest. Let them have their way! What did he know? After all he had just a few thousand years worth of experience to offer.  
  
After a few minutes the situation hadn't changed much except for the fact that both of them looked even more exhausted.  
  
In the meantime Gimli had entered the court and now stood beside Legolas to watch their match.  
  
"What are they doing?", he asked curiously.  
  
"Since the last few minutes they have been more sweating and panting for air than they have been fighting, so it is up to the spectator to decide in which of both things they are actually competing.", Legolas answered with a raised eyebrow.  
  
Selina's headed whipped around. "I heard that! ", she protested sourly.  
  
"I thought you were fighting! If you want to win you have to focus all your concentration on that and not on what your audience is talking about! ", the elf answered unimpressed by her murderous glare.  
  
"Selina I think you have proven to be a skillful fighter I think we should finally call this even! ", Aragorn said in between heavy breaths.  
  
"Yes, we should! Thank you very much, Aragorn!", Selina smiled "I can only give back the compliment."  
  
They shedded their weapons and shook hands.  
  
"It was about time you both were acting your age! ", the dwarf exclaimed.  
  
"Look who's talking! ", Selina muttered under her breath and saw a smile flit over Legolas face. 


	6. Curiosity killed the cat

This is the first conversation between Selina and Legolas! I added some information about elves and I hope it doesn't get too blah. I read the Lord of the Rings a long time ago (I think about 5 years ago or so) Hope I got it right!  
  
This is to the lovely lulu bell! Thank you so much for your encouragement!!! I am happy you've liked the story so far!  
  
Chapter 6: Curiosity killed the cat  
  
A week later one of Elrond's scouts returned. Selina was just occupied with her daily training, when a rather exhausted and dejected looking elf staggered into the court. She was immediately at his sight and called for help.  
  
Within seconds Elrond arrived at their sight. "Is he injured?", he asked her preoccupied.  
  
"No, he just is very exhausted. He must have travelled without surceasing.", she informed the elvish Lord.  
  
"What can you tell us?", Elrond asked.  
  
"His army now counts about 100 Uruk-Hai, 10 Trolls, 300 Orcs and at least 400 men. It is slowly, but steadily heading towards Gondor. When I left them they just entered the land of Enedwaith. These creatures leave behind a highly visible trail of destruction. Wherever they sat their foot, death and despair follow shortly after.", the scout answered, mobilizing his last remains of strength.  
  
"We have to act quickly!", the elvish Lord exclaimed.  
  
~  
  
On the evening of the same day the company was ready to leave. They had decided to spent the first part of the journey on horseback and later walking by foot as soon as they would come into closer range of Tulrah and his army.  
  
The elves had actually been as thoughtful as to provide Gimli with a pony, which he could handle more easily than a horse.  
  
Gandalf was as usually riding on Shadowfax, which had miraculously appeared out of nowhere in the course of the afternoon. Selina had been amazed and had asked Gandalf incredulously, how his horse had sensed that it was needed. The old wizard had just smiled mysteriously and kept silent.  
  
They had been provided with supplies and everything was packed up in a hurry! Now the Company of Hunters was ready to leave!  
  
"May the Valar guide you and protect you on your difficult journey! I hope we will all meet again under happier circumstances! Now travel fast and safely! Namaarie /Farewell/, my friends!", Lord Elrond told them in a serious voice and looked each of them deep in the eye as a greeting.  
  
They bit their farewells to Rivendell and its master. Selina felt actually a bit sad to leave this beautiful place behind and silently swore to herself, to return someday and perhaps even travel around Middle-Earth to discover more of it. After all this was the first time she had left the seclusion of the secret valley her people lived in.  
  
They heavy heartedly departed from Rivendell and their horses galloped out of its gates.  
  
Selina and Legolas rode a little bit ahead of the company, being the outlook of the group. Aragorn followed shortly after and then Gandalf and Gimli.  
  
The Selvadage'tok woman felt a bit uneasy in the presence of the elf, because he only talked when the need arouse. A quality which irritated most people, including Selina, immensely.  
  
In the last few days she had often wondered in what way elves were different from humans or dwarves. She had even considered asking Elrond, but he had always been busy during her stay.  
  
Selina cocked her head and fixed the elf with her piercing gaze. He was looking ahead and a soft breeze blew back his blond hair. She wondered if all elves had golden hair. How long did they live? Where did they come from?  
  
"Do your people not consider staring as rude?", Legolas asked suddenly without turning his head to her.  
  
"Yes, but they also consider it to be very rude if you don't talk to the person riding next to you in hours!", she shot back.  
  
"Is there something you wanted to know?", he asked her patiently and turned his head to her.  
  
"Yes, actually there is. I mean you are the first elf I have met in my life...", she paused for a minute. "What are your people like?"  
  
He lead out a melodious laugh, "You know that the answer to this question could very well keep me talking for the rest of our journey or possibly longer?"  
  
"Well, then I had a lucky hand in choosing my words, because I'm very curious.", she smiled at him good naturedly.  
  
"I will tell you, but I want you to inform me about the Selvadage'tok as well!", Legolas answered and started with his tale.  
  
"Our people awoke first in the far eastern land of Cuiviénen, on the shores of the Inland Sea of Helcar. We are called the Eldar, because we arrived in this world two ages earlier than the humans did. The Valar created us with many things in common, but there are also many differences that separate us until this day. The Eldar are immortal, we are not prone to sickness and can only die from heartache or if we are slain in battle.", the elf told her.  
  
She nodded silently, with the expression of awe on her face. "Are there different kinds of elves?", she asked curiously.  
  
"Yes, there are the Sindar, the Lindar, the Nandor and my people, the Silvan Elves. We feel a special connection to nature and all its creatures. All Eldar take pleasure in seeing thinks grow, as nature provides us daily with incredible miracles to marvel at.", Legolas explained.  
  
"As do our people! I'm very surprised, for it seems as if we have a lot in common! You have already been told about our connection with the totem animals. The Selvadage'tok are one with nature and we are like all its creatures, wild and untamable. Unfortunately our temper is sometimes rather short, but with experience we get wiser!", Selina told the elf with a proud smile on her face.  
  
"What abilities did you receive when you joined with your totem? I have the feeling we only saw a few of them in action.", Legolas asked with curiosity shining in his eyes.  
  
"Nightvision, an yellow eyes, hypersensitive senses, a bit of acrobatics..........all in all nothing spectacular.", Selina told him.  
  
He bent over to her conspiratorially. "Then you might want to keep away from the dwarf. He does not bath very often."  
  
Her eyes widened and she left out a loud laugh. "I will keep that in mind!", she said, still grinning from ear to ear. 


	7. Panther, lion, eagle, bear and wolf

Chapter 7: Panther, lion, eagle, bear and wolf  
  
The night slowly set in and the decided to rest. They had been following the River Loudwater Bruinen all the way from Rivendell and had now arrived in an area scattered with woodland. They decided to camp for the night in the shelter of some trees.  
  
They sat around the campfire and enjoyed their evening meal, consisting of the supplies they had received at Rivendell. Gandalf, Aragorn and Gimli were peacefully smoking their pipes and Legolas was sitting a bit away from the group, looking out in the night.  
  
To Selina the dark around them was full of activity and she desired to be a part of it. She could make out some animals moving in the nearby trees, hear the rustling of the leaves, when the wind blew through them and smell the cool night air. The wild was calling out to her. A far away look settled on her face.  
  
She snapped out of this trance like state when she was addressed by Aragorn, "Selina, pray come over and give us the pleasure of your company!"  
  
Her head shot around and her eyes gleamed eerily in the light reflected from the campfire. She walked over to the men.  
  
"You seem to be depressed. What ails you, Selina?", Gandalf asked friendly.  
  
She let out a sigh. "I can feel that the night around me is full of life. It calls out to me. I'd like to run with the creatures of the forest under the light of the moon."  
  
"How one can want to run around in the dark is totally beyond me!", Gimli snorted gruffly.  
  
Selina bared her fangs and hissed at him, effectively shutting him up. "You would understand if you had a totem yourself, dwarf!"  
  
"Could a human achieve this kind of connection to?", Aragorn asked with an interested expression on his face.  
  
"I don't know. We never met humans before and much less allowed them to perform the ritual, but I possess the ability to tell you your totem if you wish to know it, for I chose to become a shaman and this power is our privilege."  
  
"Would you tell me mine?", Aragorn wanted to know with curiosity shining in his eyes.  
  
Selina nodded and stepped closer. She kneeled down in front of him, so that her faces were on the same level. She extended her hand to him and he took it. Selina fixed him with her intense eyes, her golden eyes glowing unnaturally in the dark.  
  
Aragorn felt a pleasant warmth creep up his arm, that had his origins were their palms touched. Her gleaming eyes seemed to watch right into his very soul. Then suddenly the feeling ceased, when she retreated her hand.  
  
A smile played at the corners of her mouth. "As I had suspected ", she paused briefly. "Your totem is mountain lion. It stands for power and resourcefulness. A noble creature who is willing to sacrifice itself for others", she said to him, her head cocked and a grin on her face.  
  
Gandalf had an interested look on his face. "Now, Selvadage'tok shaman come and tell me mine! ", the old wizard said and extended his hand to her. She repeated the process, taking his palm in hers.  
  
This time it felt different. When Selina had established the connection by using her shamanic powers, it worked both ways to her surprise.  
  
She felt the intense blue eyes of the old Istari burn right into her soul. She but on a determined face, but after a few seconds she had to snatch back her hand, because she couldn't stand his piercing gaze anymore.  
  
Her eyes were wide in astonishment and her breath came in fast intervals. The old wizard just smiled at her knowingly, while a air of mystery surrounded him.  
  
"You could have warned me, Istari! ", she said, with a tint of accusation in her voice. "I didn't know this would happen myself", he answered calmly. "What did you see?"  
  
"The eagle", she bowed her head in respect and when she continued her voice was barely more than a whisper. "The symbol of the connection with the divine plane, of power acquired through knowledge."  
  
"Interesting to say the least", the wizard said, his eyes sparkling with merriment, out of a reason only known to him. "I guess now it is your turn, Master Gimli!"  
  
They all looked expectantly at the dwarf who was next in line. He mumbled something under his breath and grudgingly held out his hand to Selina, who repeated the process as she had previously done with the other two men.  
  
When she had finished, Selina let out a rich and friendly laugh. Gimli's expression immediately turned sour.  
  
"Don't be angry, Master Dwarf! You are the bear, a very strong and well respected totem. It possess inner strength and is the keeper of hidden wisdom. As you are very protective of your friends, it is with its young." With every word the dwarf's chest seemed to swell even more with pride.  
  
"Legolas, my friend, come over and let Selina tell you your totem!" Aragorn exclaimed.  
  
The elf rose to his feet and walked over to them. Legolas sat down in front of her and offered her his hand. Selina shook her head and Legolas and the others looked at her with baffled expressions on their faces.  
  
"I already know. The aura of your totem radiates much stronger around you than with the others", she explained, smiling at him.  
  
"You are a forest spirit and you can't deny it. I can smell the cool scent of its trees and herbs on you. You wander the woods by night, enjoying their loneliness and the secrets they only show to you. You are the wolf! It is a very wise and loyal creature, which often is a teacher to others, Eldar."  
  
Legolas raised his eyebrows in astonishment and wondered inwardly how she had been able, to come this close to the truth. She truly was a very intriguing and mysterious woman.  
  
~  
  
They all lay to rest later, except Legolas, who had agreed to take the first watch.  
  
Selina was ripped out of her dreams by a a soft touch on her shoulders. A growl escaped her throat and she was immediately up with her daggers in her hands, ready to attack the person who had disturbed her sleep.  
  
She blinked, her eyes still heavy and unfocused from sleep, and could finally make out the person's face.  
  
Before her stood Legolas, his hands raised in a defensive gesture. She threw him an apologizing look and remembered ruefully that it was her time to relief him of his watch. Selina shedded her daggers quickly. The elf stepped close and spoke to her in a hushed voice, "I have seen eyes in the dark, we are being followed. I can not tell anymore, as it was too dark. Be careful on your watch! " Then he turned and left to lie down and get some sleep.  
  
Selina sighed and sat down, her keen eyes trying to detect even the slightest movement in the dark. But she saw nothing but a wild cat lurking about and an owl, flying around on its nocturnal hunt. She stifled a yawn and continued her watch. Everything was quiet and peaceful. Selina had to fight against her tiredness, to keep herself from falling asleep again. She didn't know whether she was awake or dreaming, when she heard a soft voice in her head.  
  
"Look beneath the surface and you will discover the truth!" 


	8. An unexpected advise

Chapter 8: An unexpected advise  
  
The next morning the packed their belongings and climbed their horses to continue their journey south. Selina was riding besides Gandalf and was engaged in a vivid conversation with him. Then suddenly she felt a presence. The tiny hairs on her neck raised and she felt a unpleasant chill sweep over her skin, though a warm breeze was blowing. She raised in her saddle, her eyes searching her surroundings.  
  
They were currently riding over a plain covered with high grass, that reached almost one meter above the ground. Selina could detect a movement a stone's throw away from their horses. Without any explanation she jumped off her horse and stood almost up to her waist in grass. The young Selvadage'tok woman drew her daggers and ran off in the direction of source of the movement.  
  
Suddenly the silent ocean of green came alive. Whatever creature it was that had followed them, was now running away and left behind a trail on waving blades of grass.  
  
But Selina was still hot on its pursuit and even managed to gain a few meters on it. After a few seconds she was running on the same level with the creature. She squinted her eyes together, not able to believe what she saw. A black panther! How on Middle-Earth was that possible? How had it come here?  
  
"Stop!", she shouted. She didn't know why she had done it, the words just came out of her mouth without thinking.  
  
The panther looked at her as if it was considering to follow her command. Then it growled and to her utter and complete surprise, this sound arrived in her ears as an actual sentence. She had often heard that she would be able to communicate with her totem animal, but experiencing it first hand was overwhelming.  
  
"Why should I do this?", the panther asked in velvety voice.  
  
"Because I can't talk to you properly while we are running!", she answered and became suddenly aware that she hadn't spoken the common tongue of Middle-Earth, but in the language of the panther, growling back at it.  
  
"Very well, Selvadage'tok! We shall talk then!", it said and stopped.  
  
She shedded her daggers and walked up to the beast, her hands raised in a defensive gesture.  
  
"I don't attack my own kind. Don't be afraid!", it assured her seriously.  
  
"How do you know that my totem is the panther?", she asked in astonishment.  
  
"I can smell it on you.", the panther purred.  
  
Selina suddenly heard the sound of an approaching horse. She saw the beast tense and feared that it would run away any second. "Stay, I beg you!", she pleaded with it. "I will tell them to go away!"  
  
At her words the panther became somewhat calmer. Selina turned in the direction of the rider. It was Aragorn.  
  
"Aragorn, don't come closer! I have discovered our pursuer and I'm talking to him, but he will only stay if you leave us alone!", she called out to him.  
  
She saw him briefly hesitate, contemplating the situation, than he nodded and rode back to the waiting group. Selina let out a relieved sigh and turned back to the panther. To her surprise it hadn't moved from its spot.  
  
"Excuse my rudeness. I didn't even present myself! My name is Selina!", she said.  
  
"I'm Sulrahthi! You remind me of my young ones, Selina! You are still unexperienced and don't know your own powers.", the she-panther answered with amusement sparkling in her eyes.  
  
"Did you follow us just to tell me this?", the Selvadage'tok woman asked slightly irritated.  
  
"No.", Sulrahthi cocked her head.  
  
Selina lowered herself to a crouch, so that she was on eye level with the panther and looked at her expectantly.  
  
"Have you ever asked yourself why your brother drank all of the sanctified water? Do think he acted out of his own free will?", Sulrahthi asked her.  
  
"Wait! How did you know....?", Selina wanted to ask, but was cut short by the she-panther.  
  
"A surge of power of this proportions doesn't go by unnoticed, especially not when destruction and death follow shortly after. Besides, rumors spread quickly amongst the creatures of Middle-Earth.  
  
I strongly advise you to keep your eyes and ears open, if you and the others want to survive! There is more to this matter than you know!", with that words the panther raised to its feet and turned to leave.  
  
"Wait! Will I see you again?", the Selvadage'tok woman exclaimed quickly.  
  
"You will, young one. And remember to be on guard!", with that she disappeared in the high grass.  
  
"The voice I heard last night must have been her!", Selina thought to herself, still looking at the spot were the panther had sat.  
  
She turned and slowly walked back to her companions.  
  
"What happened? What did you discover?", Gandalf asked her curiously.  
  
"I just found our pursuer. Don't worry he's more or less harmless! ", she answered under the questioning gazes of the others  
  
"So? What did you find out?", Aragorn asked when she had climbed her horse.  
  
"We have to be careful. There are still some facts unknown to us. She didn't want to tell me more, but she will return.", Selina told him hesitantly.  
  
The king of Gondor looked at her for a view seconds, challenging her with his eyes to tell him more, but he had to content himself with the information he already had gotten out of her, as Selina refused to reveal anymore to him. He wondered with whom she had spoken. Whatever or whoever it had been, must not have been human. It had been too small. He squinted his eyes together. He would keep an eye on the Selvadage'tok woman. If she had secrets in front of the group and him, maybe she couldn't be trusted after all. 


	9. Biting and scratching

Chapter 9: Biting and scratching  
  
On the evening of the second day of their travel they arrived at the Angle, where the River Longwater Bruinen and the River Hoardwell joined. They would spent the night at a tavern, that Aragorn knew from his days as a ranger.  
  
Selina hesitated entering the "Spirit of the River" as the weathered shield over the entrance announced proudly. The tavern smelled of beer, wine and sweat. She cringed her nose in disgust.  
  
"What? Too good for a place like this?", Gimli mocked her.  
  
"No, it just smells abominable!", she managed to choke out.  
  
The dwarf shrugged and entered the tavern. Selina and Legolas were the only once to left, standing outside the "Spirit of the River".  
  
"I'm sure that tavern is just to his liking. It's dirty, old and smelly just like him!", she complained.  
  
Legolas laughed and replied, "Do not be so hard on him! He has his good sides, too. Though you just have to muster a lot of patience to discover them!"  
  
He went over to the horses and produced a black cloak, which he then offered to her.  
  
"What would I need this for?", she asked him incredulously.  
  
"To cover yourself. If you go inside dressed like this.....", he paused and indicated her clothing "you will surely provoke a sensation!"  
  
"Then let me provoke a sensation! I don't care!", Selina answered with fire in her eyes.  
  
The elf sighed and nodded. "As you wish, but lets at least enter together!", he said in defeat.  
  
Before the Selvadage'tok woman entered the tavern she took a deep breath of air, like somebody who dives under water for a long time would do. This way she would at least be able to step over the sill of the "Spirit of the River". With her head held high she marched into the tavern, with Legolas following on tail.  
  
She was greeted by the sight of at least twenty five men, whose heads seemed to whip around simultaneously, when she entered the room.  
  
Selina looked from face to face. They were all looking shabby and dirty. Their clothes had been bleached, from being constantly prone to the weather and gave them away as travellers. All in all the "Spirit of the River" was filled with shady characters of all sorts.  
  
They spotted their companions sitting on a table near the window and were just about to walk over to them, when suddenly a particularly nasty looking fellow who was standing at the bar with a stein in his hand, called out, "Hey Elf, what do you take for one night with her?"  
  
Booming laughter filled the tavern. Selina turned around and saw a cold fire burn in her companion's eyes. She stepped closer to Legolas and lay a soothing hand on his arm.  
  
"I should have listened to you! But don't worry I'll take care of this myself!", she said ruefully.  
  
"You cannot attack him he has at least eight friends with him! It would be dangerous, especially as they are all drunk. One can never know what they will be capable of in this state!", the elf explained to her in a hushed voice.  
  
"Do not worry! I only intend to hurt his pride!", she grinned at him.  
  
She turned and slowly sauntered over to the bar, swaying her hips sensually.  
  
Legolas just watched her incredulously. What in Middle-Earth was she up to? Mixed with his astonishment there was another feeling. He didn't want her to go over there, because the mere thought of her approaching that man enraged him immensely, though he couldn't explain why. In the mean time Aragorn had come over to ask him what the commotion was all about.  
  
"What is going on here?", Aragorn inquired with a worried frown on his face.  
  
"I suppose she is going to teach that rascal a lesson.", Legolas answered with raised eyebrows.  
  
Selina had arrived at the bar and was now standing in front of the man, who had insulted her with his offer.  
  
She fought against the feeling of nausea that rose inside of her, when she looked at his disgustingly dirty face and clothes, but forced herself to stepped closer. They were now only mere inches a part. Selina was engulfed by the smell of beer and sweat. With much effort she managed to suppressed her urge to make a disgusted face. Instead she batted her eyelashes seductively and let one hand run through his dirty hair.  
  
Suddenly all conversation inside the tavern ceased and it became very quiet. They were watched curiously by a few dozen pairs of eyes. The man gulped nervously.  
  
"You wanted me and you shall have me! But I have to warn you...", she purred in a velvety voice, just loud enough so everybody around them could hear.  
  
"I don't hold back! In the heat of passion, I let my instincts take over.", she flashed a grin at him, making sure he got a good look at her sharp fangs.  
  
"I bite and scratch like a cat. Pain and pleasure mix perfectly, rest assured. And your senses will be especially keen during lovemaking... You will even feel the tiniest wound on your hot and sweaty skin with the tremendous intensity of a sword's strike.", she said, scratching slightly with her nail over his stubbly cheek.  
  
"I will have you screaming and begging for mercy all night long, while I just laugh in your face and urge you on.", Selina smiled at him sweetly, while her golden eyes sparkled dangerously.  
  
The man squirmed in front of her like a worm. His cocky smirk had, in the mean time, turned into a grimace of sheer despair. The man was nervously looking for a possibility to flee from this dreadful situation.  
  
She extended her hand to him and said in a seductive voice, "Let's leave this place and go somewhere quiet, shall we?"  
  
He hastily shook his head, "I am sorry! I.......um....rather have another beer with my friends!" He indicated a table on the other side of the tavern, which was conveniently the farthest distance he could put between himself and this "mad woman".  
  
The men scurried away quickly, as if the devil himself was following him.  
  
Selina just shrugged her arms and returned to her companions with a huge grin plastered over her face.  
  
"Well, that was fun!", she smirked triumphantly and walked past Legolas and Aragorn towards the table, where Gandalf and Gimli sat.  
  
"Do you think she was serious about the biting and scratching part?", Aragorn asked Legolas with a bemused expression on his face.  
  
The elf just shrugged his shoulders and grinned at his friends. "Whether it was the truth or not, it effectively scared away all the potential trouble makers."  
  
They walked over to the table to sit down with their companions. When they were arriving Gimli was shaking with laughter.  
  
"Have you seen the face of this scoundrel, he looked like he was about to wet his pants!", the dwarf managed to say between laughing fits. 


	10. Sleeping arrangements

Chapter 10: Sleeping arrangements  
  
"You only have TWO rooms left?", Aragorn asked his voice rising a pitch.  
  
The owner of the "Spirit of the River" looked in his books and then back at the annoyed group of travellers. A slightly inebriated dwarf, a blond haired elf, an exotic looking, but beautiful young woman with strange golden eyes, an old man and finally the angry human, who had been debating with him about their accommodations for over twenty minutes now. What a strange picture they made!  
  
"There is no way we will manage to fit into two rooms! Lady Selina will require one all to herself. This way we will be forced to squeeze into the other. Four men in one room - that's ridiculous!", Aragorn explained exasperatedly.  
  
"Look there are three beds in one room, in the other two. Just do the math and you will see that it works out nicely! Any ways from what I heard this young woman over here is no *lady*, so I see no reason why I should give you another room. You will share or you can sleep elsewhere! Take it or leave it!" , the men answered, crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
"Take that back!", Legolas said in an icy voice "Selina is an honorable warrior and deserves to be addressed with respect!"  
  
"From the way you speak you must be her lover, Master Elf..", the owner of the tavern smirked and added "Then you might as well share a room with her!" He threw the key to the room to Legolas, who caught it with anger shining in his bright blue eyes  
  
"Don't you be too rough on him, Missy!", the man winked at her.  
  
Selina turned crimson red and was utterly speechless for the first time since her companions had known her. Aragorn took the other key, lying on the counter before him, and turned to leave, mumbling angrily under his breath. Good thing that nobody here knew he was the King of Gondor!  
  
"See what your little show has gotten us into? Nothing but trouble!", Gimli slurred, walking over to Selina.  
  
"Last time I checked you laughed your head off about it! Now shut up!", she shot back at him.  
  
"Now, now, Selina! You ought to have known that for every laugh there is a price to pay.", Gandalf chuckled with merriment.  
  
~  
  
"Look, I don't see where the problem is! ", Selina rolled her eyes at the elf. "You didn't mind sleeping two meters from me, when we camped out in the wilderness just yesterday and this is supposed to be different now?", she indicated the two small beds, standing inside their room.  
  
"I guess I never saw it from this perspective.", Legolas shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry! I didn't want to bring you in an embarrassing situation...", Selina excused.  
  
"No, do not worry. I do not care!", the elf reassured her.  
  
"Fine.", she answered and lay down on one of the beds. She was pleasantly surprised, because it was soft and smelled clean.  
  
"Well, I'm going to bed now. Good night!", she announced.  
  
"A good night to you, too!"  
  
Selina quickly took of her boots and sprawled on the covers. After a few seconds she began to feel uncomfortable and turned restlessly from one side to the other. Minutes passed in silence while she started up at the ceiling, out of the small window and then back at the ceiling. She wished she was outside looking up at the starry sky, breathing the fresh cool air of the night.  
  
"Legolas, are you asleep yet?", she asked softly.  
  
"No.", came the answer from the other bed with a sigh "What ails you?"  
  
"Do you really want to know or would you rather sleep?", Selina said and sat up in her bed.  
  
"I want to know! Tell me what is it that aggrieves you?", he asked, his voice sounding sincere.  
  
"The other day in the field.....I met my totem animal. It was a she-panther named Sulrahthi. I know, because I talked to her.", she paused, waiting for him to tell her that she was insane.  
  
"What did she tell you?", he asked curiously.  
  
"What did she tell me?", she repeated incredulously. "I was expecting something like 'Are you out of your mind, woman?'. That's why I didn't tell the others. "  
  
Legolas laughed in amusement, "When I told you that elves have a special connection with nature I meant it. We know whether a forest is old, young, slowly withering away or about to regrow, because it *tells* us. So your being able to talk to your totem animal does not come as a surprise to me. So what did Sulrahthi tell you?"  
  
"She told me that there is more to this matter than we are able to see right now, that we should be on guard. But I don't have even the slightest idea what she could have meant.", she answered her fore head in a concerned frown.  
  
"Maybe you should consider telling the others..Perhaps Gandalf will be able to help you. ", he said.  
  
"Yes, you are right I should probably tell them.", she turned her head and smiled at him warmly. "Thank you! You helped me so much today! How can I ever..."  
  
"It was my pleasure!", Legolas interrupted her with a soft and gentle voice, "Do not mention it!"  
  
Silence sat in again. Selina tried to get some sleep, tossing from side to side in her small bed, but to no avail.  
  
After a few minutes she gave up and said dejectedly,"I'm sorry, but I don't think I can sleep in here! I will probably keep you up all night, tossing around. I'm just not used to being confined to a small room."  
  
"Would you rather go for a walk?", the elf asked her.  
  
"Yes, please...If you don't mind!", Selina answered.  
  
"Not at all! This room is a little bit too stuffy for my taste, too.", he smiled at her.  
  
She got on her boots, walked over to the small window and opened it. Selina took a deep breath of air and smiled contently. It smelled, earthy and cool. She was just about to climb out of the window, when Legolas grabbed her shoulder looking at her questioningly. "You are aware of the fact that we are on the first floor?", he asked incredulously.  
  
"Look, I suppose this is the fastest and most silent way to sneak out without startling any sleeping guests.", she whispered to him with a smile on her face. Her mood had changed considerably, thanks to the prospect of getting out of this smelly dump.  
  
Without any further words she swung her legs over the window sill and jumped down. She landed on the street without making any sound and motioned Legolas to follow her. The elf followed her example and landed gracefully next to her.  
  
"You know that a human would have broken every bone in his body?", he asked her in a hushed voice.  
  
"That would have been very unfortunate, but last time I checked you were an elf, my friend.", Selina said in response, grinning from cheek to cheek.  
  
In the distance she could make out the noise of the river. She cocked her head and her eyes gleamed in the dark like two hot coals. "Up for a little race, Legolas?", she asked with excitement shining in her eyes.  
  
"Where to?", the elf asked.  
  
"The river shore! Are you ready?", at this they both started to run.  
  
It was a head to head. Their feet were running swiftly over the ground without making any sound, barely leaving any imprints. "So this is your idea of a walk?", Legolas called out with a smirk on his face, while they were running.  
  
"Too fast for you?", she answered, mischief sparkling in her eyes.  
  
"Not at all!", he increased his speed and outran her. He even managed to put a few meters distance between them.  
  
Selina let out a melodious laugh. The breeze softly played with her long, hair that swayed around her head like a halo. She was feeling completely at ease, running under the starry night sky.  
  
They finally arrived at the river and Legolas, in the mean time, had even managed to increase the distance between them, beating her by lengths. He was waiting for her, leaning calmly against a crooked tree that stood near the river shore.  
  
Selina jogged up to him and came to a stop in front of the elf. She looked at him with a appreciative glance. The moonlight was illuminating his fair features and a soft breeze played with his long golden hair. His pale skin seemed to glow with an ethereal light, that surrounded him and bestowed him with an aura of peacefulness and serenity.  
  
"Back to starring?", he asked, playfulness swinging in his voice.  
  
She grinned at him sweetly. Her response came out as a soft and seductive purr. "Beauty is there to be marvelled at, Legolas. It would be foolish to pass it by without paying attention."  
  
Legolas's eyes widened in surprise and if it had been possible for elves to blush, he would have done so.  
  
Selina let out a warm laugh, amused by his baffled expression. "I suppose she-elves aren't that blunt when it comes to paying compliments? How does your kind court then? It must take you years and years."  
  
"It is true. We are very reserved in this matters. Before we agree to an relationship we take our time to get to know each other. This process can sometimes take decades.", the elf explained.  
  
Selina raised her eyebrows in astonishment. "But what about passion? Haven't you ever been swept away by the heat of the moment? Have you never experienced a love that burns you with its fire?"  
  
Legolas looked at her as if she had just grown a second head. "The Eldar take the matters of the heart very seriously! If we give our heart away, it is forever!"  
  
"So? Have you given your's away already?", she asked curiously.  
  
" You are quite the curious one! But just so you know.. No, I have not found the right person yet.", Legolas answered, smiling at her friendly.  
  
"Then your heart is like pray free for the hunt.", Selina answered with a sly grin on her face.  
  
The elf looked at her with a mixture of astonishment and embarrassment. He could not deny that he felt attracted to the young Selvadage'tok. She presented everything he appreciated in a woman. She was beautiful, intelligent, a skillful warrior, but at same time playful and wild. She loved nature and being outside nearly as much as he did.  
  
But he didn't know what to make of her. Sometimes the reasons behind her actions were a mystery to him. He had never made the experience of being courted by a woman. Legolas felt uneasy and thought her approach to be a little too blunt for his taste. It would take him some time to figure out what those feelings were, that he had for her. He didn't want to rush into anything. His heart was not ready to engage into any relationship that was not meant to develop into something serious.  
  
In the past many she-elf had tried to win his affection, but none of them had succeeded. He had had the feeling that they were only interested in him, because he was the successor to the throne of Mirkwood. To them his dreams, his hopes and expectations didn't matter. He was only a prize, to be won. Nothing less nothing more! His father had told him about how he got to know Legolas's mother, his eyes shining with love for her. That moment he had envied him very much! Thranduil had experienced what Legolas deemed to be a legend, a beautiful fairy tale. He had found true love!  
  
He shook his head, chasing away the thoughts that were running through his head. "Maybe we should go back to our room to get some sleep!" 


	11. Burned to ashes

Hi there! Thanks for your reviews! They really brighten up my day! This chapter will be a little (no too much really) gory and I hope you don't mind. I'm so excited about this story, because these characters sort of grew on me and I wonder how the things I planned for them, will work out.  
  
Chapter 11: Burned to ashes  
  
The next morning all companions were well rested and ready to continue their hunt on Tulrah. Legolas and Selina had returned to their room after their nightly excursion and had finally managed to get some sleep.  
  
Selina walked up to Gandalf first thing in the morning to tell him about her encounter with the she-panther. The wizard wrinkled his brows and looked at the Selvadage'tok woman with concern written on his face.  
  
"This doesn't sound good and it confirms my suspicions! Maybe there is a specific reason out of which he chose to attack Gondor. He could have picked Rohan or any other human or elfish part of the land as well. There must be something in Gondor that he wants. Aragorn, pray tell us your opinion! Is there anything in Minas-Tirith that could be of interest for Tulrah?", Gandalf inquired.  
  
The king of Gondor frowned, "We do have some treasures, but I can't imagine anything being of specific value to him. Our treasure chamber holds nothing more than some antique weapons, some jewellery, a few works of art. All in all nothing special!"  
  
"There has to be something! Tell us about those objects that you have stored there! Maybe I'll be able to recognize some of them!", the wizard said exasperatedly.  
  
"Well, there is, for example, this beautiful piece of craftsmanship, which I'm particularly fond of myself. It is an eye staff..", Aragorn began.  
  
At the mention of this particular item Selina's head whipped around, her eyes widened in shock. "Did you just say eye staff?"  
  
"Yes, I did! It is made of wood. The staff is beautifully engraved with small and skilfully made images of all sorts of animals. Its eye is a huge amethyst, that has the size of a human fist.", Aragorn explained, while Selina became paler and paler.  
  
"By the Valar!", she exclaimed. "How could we have overlooked that! The Eye staff of Shalakrah! If he manages to get a hold of it we are all doomed! This artefact has been lost for generations! I thought that it was just a legend!" Selina's hands were shaking and she had to take a deep breath before she was able to continue. "In the old times our shamans used it to heal and recreate nature, when the need occurred. Then one day it was stolen. A warrior named Shelragad, who had been jealous of the privilege that our wise men and women enjoyed, took it. He used it to create himself a mighty army. Shelragad could, by the aid of the eye staff, control every living being that came into contact with him. He enslaved elves, humans, dwarves, halflings and animals alike. Fortunately he was not experienced in the ways of magic and our shamans were able to overpower him, but not before many life had been extinguished. After this catastrophe the Selvadage'tok decided to lead their lives in seclusion in order to protect the rest of Middle-Earth. There is no telling what Tulrah could do with the eye staff. He has received a teaching in the shaman ways, as well as I have, and knows how to use his powers efficiently." She closed her eyes. Her features appeared very tired and utterly exhausted.  
  
"All the more reason to hurry! We have to stop him before he can reach Minas-Tirith!", Aragorn exclaimed agitated.  
  
"First of all we have to find him!"; Legolas reminded him.  
  
"Lets not waste anymore time!", Gandalf exclaimed and mounted Shadowfax.  
  
~  
  
Their horses were galloping swiftly over the plains, towards the land of Enedwaith. The landscape flew passed them. Trees and bushes were nothing, but a green blur. The only constant was the rhythmical sound of the horse shoes touching the ground. A grave silence had sat in and everybody was lost in his one thoughts and worries.  
  
As usual Legolas rode a bit ahead, being constantly on the outlook. Suddenly he brought his horse to a stop and rose in his saddle. Selina rode up to him.  
  
"Do you smell it, too?", she asked him.  
  
"Yes, smoke!", he answered his eyes squinted together in concentration.  
  
They took off in the direction of the source of the smoke, the others following closely behind. A feeling of dread overcame Selina and it increased the closer they got to their destination. Behind a hill they could make out a huge cloud of smoke, that was rising angrily in the blue afternoon sky. It carried the stench of burned flesh, death and despair. She gulped down her fear and urged herself to go on. The sight that awaited them on the hill top was truly horrific.  
  
In middle of the valley, that stretched out before them, lay a small human settlement. The ground and the remains of several houses had been tinted black by the devastating fire that had burned them. With her keen eyes Selina could make out at least a dozen bodies lying motionless on the floor. She fought against the rising feeling of nausea. The whole village had been exposed to an act of merciless destruction, that didn't spare any lives.  
  
The travellers were paralysed by the sight of devastation that assaulted their senses. Aragorn, being level-headed as usual, was the first to awake from his trance like state. "We have to check for survivors!", he said with grief and suppressed anger, directed towards those who had caused that massacre, ringing in his voice.  
  
Selina forced herself to approach the village, fearing the terrible sight of destruction that would await them there. The closer they got, the more details she could make out. The settlement looked like a hurricane had swept over it, leaving nothing behind but mutilated corpses and destruction. They hadn't even showed mercy on women and children! She closed her eyes, to keep the tears from falling. Now was no time to give into grief! Selina had to concentrated on the task at hand! She looked at her companions and saw grim determination and at the same time utter despair written on their faces.  
  
Suddenly her eyes picked up a distant sound. It was a soft moaning. She got off her horse and searched the areas for any sign of life. Her disappearance went by unnoticed by the others, who were lost in their own thoughts. She tracked the source of the sound and stepped around the corner of a destroyed house. In front of her on the ground lay the body of a small boy. He could have been no older than ten. His pale skin standing out brightly against the burned, black ground. She froze in tracks and shock was spreading in her veins like an ice cold current. The body was lying in a dark pool of blood. His eyes were opened wide and stared into empty space.  
  
Then she heard it again. A soft moan! Very close by! She forced her eyes away from the boy and discovered a woman, lying on the ground a few meters away from where she was standing. She was still alive! She hurried to her side and kneeled down. "Hush do not worry any more! Help has come!" The woman's eyes shone for joy when she got sight of Selina. "Let me check you for injuries!", Selina said. When she looked her over she discovered a huge gash that spread all over the other woman's stomach. Blood was oozing unstoppably from the wound. There was nothing she could do for her! "So it is true....I'm dieing.", the woman said softly, reading the expression on her face correctly. Selina frowned, fighting out an inner battle about telling her the truth or lying to her to spare her the bitter reality. "Yes.", her voice finally came out shaky and faint. The other woman answered with a gentleness, only a person on the deathbed can muster. "It is not your fault. But tell me just one thing, please!", she paused, her breath heavy and unsteady. "Is my son alright?" The image of the slaughtered boy flashed through Selinas head. She couldn't possible tell her that her child had been murdered and so she nodded without hesitating. A serene smile spread on the woman's features.  
  
"I wish I could be see him now, touch his hand one last time..", she trailed off. "It is so cold here and the light is so bright. Are you still here?", she added her voice filled with a sudden anxiety. "Yes, I am and I will not leave you!" "I'm so afraid. I'm not ready to go!", the other woman said, fear written on her features. "I can not heal your wounds, but I can give you peace if you want to.", Selina said soothingly.  
  
The dying woman nodded in agreement. Selina took her hand in hers and immediately a pleasant warmth spread through the other woman's body. Her spirit felt free and careless. Everything faded into nothingness and there was no sound except the melodious and calm voice of the Selvadage'tok woman that guided her.  
  
"Do you feel the warmth? It is the sun shining on your skin. It will always be there, making the flowers grow, giving life and recreating it. Do you hear the soft dabbling of the river? It is very close. It is the vein of blood that nourishes mother earth. Never seeping away, never ceasing its flow. Eternal like you! You are one with the sun, the water and the earth. Nothing can hurt you because you are part of this ancient and eternal circle of power! You are safe and you will never be alone!"  
  
Suddenly the connection between them broke. Selina opened her eyes and looked at the woman. Her features were relaxed and a serene smile spread over her now lifeless face. Selina bowed her head speaking a silent prayer for the dead, then she got up to search for the others. On her way she was assaulted by the sight of butchered families, severed body parts, corpses that had been burned beyond recognition, slaughtered animals and the ruins of farm houses.  
  
While she walked she registered her surroundings without feeling anything. The world around her seemed to have lost its colour, everything had faded to grey. Her body was running on auto pilot, taking in sounds, sights and smells, but her mind didn't seem respond to them. She felt numb and cold inside. 


	12. Comfort found in unexpected places

Chapter 12: Comfort found in unexpected places  
  
They had searched the village for survivors for several hours and had found none. Finally they decided to leave this place, that held nothing but death and despair. The companions climbed their horses and paid the a last silent salute to the dead fallen in this massacre. Then they turned to leave, never looking back.  
  
In the evening they sat up a camp. They were just a few miles south of Nîn- in-Eilph, which they would reach the next morning. A heavy silence lay on the group of travellers and conversation was limited to when the necessity arose.  
  
Selina was the first to take watch. She hadn't spoken a word since they had left the destroyed village behind, her face totally emotionless, like a polished marble mask.  
  
Only now that she was alone she had the possibility to work through the turmoil of emotions, raging inside of her. There was indescribable horror. The images of destruction and death were flashing constantly before her mind's eye and she wasn't sure if they would ever leave her. There was pain. Pain that she couldn't protect those people, that she had been too late to save them. She felt helpless. In fact that feeling was so strong, that it seemed to choke her from inside. Selina just wanted to run away from all of this. All her confidence had been swept away, now that she really had come to experience what was at stake. Now that the reality of the extend of the danger that threatened Middle-Earth slowly began to dawn on her.  
  
She tried to find comfort looking out at the dark that was filled with life and activity. In the distance she could see eyes gleaming in the night. It was the she-panther she had encountered the other day. Yesterday seemed already so far away, she thought ruefully. The world had changed so much in only twenty four brief hours.  
  
Sulrahthi approached her without making any sound and sat down at her feet. "You have changed, my little kitten.", she purred out softly, nudging her head against Selina's knee. "You are wiser now, but the new found knowledge came with a high prize." "Don't hold back your tears, young one. Let them fall now, because inside of you they turn into ice crystals that stab you in your heart. Each one that is left unshedded will only turn out to hurt you later.", the panther said with compassion ringing in its velvety voice.  
  
She blinked rapidly to keep the tears from falling that welled up inside of her, but failed miserably and her whole body shook with silent sobs.  
  
That was how Legolas found her. From the corner of his eyes he could make out a fast movement of an huge, black animal, but that was all he got to see of Sulrathi's departure.  
  
When Selina sensed a new presence near her, her head whipped around immediately in his direction. The fresh tears were glistening on her cheeks. He froze in position not to scare her away, like one would do when encountering a frightened animal. She decided to turn her back on him, pretending he wasn't there. He had scared away Sulrathi, her only comfort, she thought to herself angrily.  
  
Suddenly she felt a soft touch on her shoulder. "Leave me alone!", she hissed between clenched teeth and looked up at him with fire dancing in her watery eyes. He stayed silent and just shook his head. Without waiting for an invitation he sat down next to her. She tried to fight back the tears ashamed of crying in front of him, but didn't succeed. When she turned her head to throw an angry comment at him, he was looking at her with a sad expression in his eyes, that almost equalled her own grief. The words she had intended to spit at him didn't manage to come out anymore. She just looked at him, her expression tired and exhausted.  
  
The elf extended his hand and softly touched her cheek, to wipe away a single tear that was sitting there. It was gesture full of tenderness and affection and made all her anger dissipate within the blink of an eye. So they just sat there in unison, staring silently out in the night, comforting each other wordlessly with their mere presence.  
  
A cool wind blew over the land and Selina shivered slightly. She rubbed her bare arms, in an attempt to keep the cold away. "You are freezing. Do you want to have my cloak?", the elf asked her gently. She shook her head stubbornly, though her skin was covered with Goosebumps. The elf sighed exasperatedly. It was beyond him why woman always had to be that headstrong. So he decided to do the only reasonable thing. Legolas scooted closer and lay an arm around her shoulder, covering her with the soft fabric of his cloak. To his surprise she didn't protest. Instead she cuddled closer to him, encouraged by the comfort and the warmth his embrace provided. The troubles and the worries that had plagued her melted away like the last snow of the winter in the warm spring sun.  
  
She breathed in his intoxicating scent. He smelled of the forest, its trees and cool, fresh air mixed with a fragrance that was unique like him. A mixture of cinnamon and honey. Selina relaxed and let out a content sigh. Then the exhaustion of the long day overwhelmed her and she fell asleep. Selina unconsciously began to purr softly, slumbering peacefully.  
  
~  
  
"Selina, wake up.", a soft and melodious voice called out to her from very close by. Sleep was still lying on her body like a warm blanket which she didn't want to shed. Selina felt protected and nothing could hurt her right now. She tried to block out the voice, but it was very insistent. "Lirimaer /Lovely one/, wake up.", it said again ever so gently, but now a bit louder.  
  
Her eyes fluttered open lazily and she was greeted by the most amazing sight imaginable. She looked right into a pair of bright blue eyes that were only a few inches away and sparkled at her full of affection. The morning sun was already shining and illuminated the elf's handsome features. Selina stared at him in fascination, while he reciprocated her gaze. They were lost in each others eyes for what seemed to be an eternity. Then a clattering noise could be heard from the camp that ripped Selina and Legolas out of their trance. The others were awakening.  
  
Legolas stood up slowly, feeling slightly nervous. What had just happened? He had come to experience something he had never felt before. It was one of those very rare moments, when you look into another person's eyes and know what they are thinking, what they dream of and what they wish for the most. He frowned and confusion spread over his fair face. What had that feeling been he had just experienced so intensely? He knew what being in love felt like, but this had been different. This had been uncharted territory, a new world, he had never sat foot in before. Each step was an adventure, that could turn out in the best or in the worst imaginable way.  
  
He forced his thoughts back to the present. Selina was still sitting there motionless and looked up at him expectantly. "We should go back to the camp.", he finally said softly. For a second disappointment flashed over Selina's features, but she nodded and followed him the few steps back to where the others had slept.  
  
Though this was just an ordinary moment seen from the outside, Selina would remember it for all time to come. It was the moment in which she discovered that she wanted to win Legolas's heart. She wanted to break down all his barriers and sweep away his caution, because there was no way he couldn't have felt the same as she had just a few minutes ago. She wanted to teach him the meaning of true love and learn what it meant to be loved by him in return. His heart was like prey, as she had said earlier, and she intended to be its huntress. 


	13. Everything as planned

Chapter 13: Everything as planned  
  
The midday sun was shining down on the small group of hunters. They had been riding at full speed almost all forenoon and now their horses were exhausted. The beautiful sight of the Nîn-in-Eilph falls had passed them by almost unnoticed. Selina had frowned in disappointment and sworn to herself silently to come back, after the battle was fought and explore this beautiful part of Middle-Earth more closely.  
  
Now their horses had slowed down considerably and traipsed over the plains of Endewaith, worn out by the long and fast ride. The company was following the trail Tulrah's army had left behind. He was surely not worrying about anybody pursuing him or in other words - he didn't care if anybody did. His army had made a huge path where heavy feet had trampled over the grass, clearly visible for the five hunters. It was a trail of destruction that parted the green sea before them.  
  
Selina turned her head to gaze at her companions. Gimli was looking gruff and bad moody, riding next to a silent and equally ill-humoured Aragorn. Gandalf followed closely behind, his eyes fixed on a far away point in the distance, his forehead in a frown. She raised an eyebrow and decided, against her better judgement, to turn around and ride up to them. Three bad moody men, were at least better company than a silent and pensive looking elf.  
  
"Selina?", Gandalf said, surprised to see her leave her post, "Did you discover anything?"  
  
"Yes, I did. I discovered even though I like the strong silent type, this elf's silence is too much for me. Six whole hours! I just couldn't take it anymore!", she said exasperatedly.  
  
The wizard and Aragorn chuckled in amusement and even Gimli joined in.  
  
"They tend to get this way when they are worried about something or want to sort through their feelings. You must consider that they have a very long life span, so six hours of brooding are like ten minutes for us. It is something you can overcome by simply telling them. They are not aware of it and don't do it out of bad intentions. ", Aragorn explained to her.  
  
"You seem to know elfish nature very well..............", Selina said interestedly.  
  
"Yes, I do. I grew up amongst the elven kind.", he answered with a nostalgic expression on his face.  
  
"I don't want to offend Legolas in anyway. Is there anything I should know?", she asked curiously.  
  
"Well, usually it is very difficult to offend an elf. They are by nature very patient and forgiving, but you must know that they are rather.........", he seemed to be looking for the right word, "reserved. Winning their friendship or even their love is not an easy task."  
  
"And Master Aragorn must know! After all he is married to Lord Elrond's daughter Arwen.", Gimli added in.  
  
"Yes, I was lucky and one day, after I admired her many years from a distance, she gave her heart to me.", the man said and a soft expression washed over his face.  
  
Had he just said years? Selina cringed inwardly, not wanting to wait for so long for any kind of response from Legolas. Despite her dismay she smiled at Aragorn and nodded, having to acknowledge that his tale was truly unique and sweet. "But, pray explain tell me how come that Gimli befriended our silent warrior?", she said with mirth dancing in her eyes.  
  
"That is a riddle still unsolved!", Gandalf winked at her.  
  
"Our friendship is based on mutual respect, something you three have obviously not heard of yet.", the dwarf muttered gruffly.  
  
Selina let out a rich laugh. For the first time in days her heart felt a little bit lighter. She rode over to Gimli and touched his shoulder in an affectionate gesture. "Thank you for giving to me the gift of laughter, my friend! I thought I lost it in the last days!", she said good-naturedly.  
  
He mumbled something in his beard that sounded like "you are welcome" and evaded to look her in the eye. If she didn't know better, she would have thought he was being a bit shy.  
  
Selina looked ahead at Legolas who was riding a good twenty meters in front of them. The soft breeze blew back his long golden hair over his broad shoulders. He had a regal air about him, sitting proudly on his horse with his bow and quiver over his shoulder. Then suddenly the elf turned around and caught her eye. An unspoken question shone in his gaze that was fixed on her for a long moment before he concentrated again on the path that lay ahead of them.  
  
Aragorn noticed their brief exchange and threw Gimli and Gandalf an astonished glance. The dwarf shrugged his shoulders, while the wizard had an amused smile on his face. What was going on between Selina and Legolas? Could it be that they had developed feelings for each other that went beyond friendship? Curiosity nagged at him.  
  
"You and Legolas seem to have gotten quite close.", Aragorn stated after a while, determined to find out more about this situation.  
  
"Do you think so?", she said trying hard to sound casually.  
  
"Yes, he usually doesn't open up to other people so quickly. You must have something to you that interests him greatly.", came the answer.  
  
"Aye, Master Aragorn, only the Valar know how bored he is by the vain and dull chatter of those she-elf back in Mirkwood.", the dwarf said. "How many times have I heard him complain that they lacked passion and this inner fire he is looking for in a woman." Gimli looked pointedly at the young Selvadage'tok, who tried hard to appear totally uninterested in the conversation. "It is highly unfortunate that we don't know anybody who fits this description, isn't it?", the dwarf added in an afterthought. Aragorn let out a soft chuckle and even Gandalf smirked a bit.  
  
Anybody who knew the young Selvadage'tok woman would have expected her to explode with anger at that comment, but instead she stayed eerily calm. To Selina this presented a very good opportunity. Her mind was still set on the task of winning Legolas's heart and she usually knew very well how to get her will. She grinned. A man's attention can be won by three things. First of all: ignore them. With men it is always the same - they only want what they can't have or at least what they can't have easily. Secondly: give them a smidgeon of hope, something to hold on to. Not too much and not too little! A brief smile, a deep look in his eyes, a seemingly accidental touch... And thirdly if anything else fails - make them jealous! If they see that their pray has been spotted by other hunters, they will make hurry to claim it themselves.  
  
Selina knew very well that Legolas's keen senses had enabled him to follow their whole conversation. The fact that he had turned around and looked at her was proof enough. She hoped that he was still all ears.  
  
In the sweetest voice she could muster she said "Well, Master Gimli...", she bent down and was now on eye level with him, "Who said I was interested in the elf? After all what does he have to offer besides his fair features? Perhaps I have already lost my heart to someone who is smaller, but far more nobler than he is!"  
  
The dwarf blushed fervently, while the other two grinned even wider, if that was even humanly possible. The best part of it was that her plan had worked! It took Legolas less than three seconds to turn his horse around and ride up to them. She pretended not to notice and continued to chat merrily with Gimli.  
  
"Aragorn, maybe we should rest for a little! If we wear out our horses too much, they won't carry us very far!", the elf said with a concerned frown on his face, casting jealous sideway glances at Selina and Gimli. "You are right my friend!", Aragorn said, still smiling from cheek to cheek.  
  
~  
  
The hawk was flying in circles over their heads. A Selvadage'tok woman, a human, an Istari, a dwarf and an elf. This was the group of warriors he had been sent out to spy on. It had been so easy, like catching a worm after a day of rain. His master would be pleased. The hawk let out a shrill cry and took off in the direction of Gondor. 


	14. The perfect mixture of pain and pleasure

Chapter 14: The perfect mixture of pain and pleasure  
  
Tulrah was walking through the camp. At least a dozen fires were burning brightly in the dark, illuminating with their flames his army of murderers and thieves, the scum of Middle-Earth. The men were eating and drinking to their heart's content, feasting on the expense of a few hundred slaughtered farmers and villagers. The bread they ate had been made by the hard work of the hands of the dead and the vine they drank was their blood, gulped down without any sign of appreciation by their greedy mouths. The Orcs had set up their camp a few meters away from the humans who were noisily celebrating their victory over the innocent and the helpless. Both sides watched each other with suspicion shining in their eyes. A band of drunken trouble makers had gathered and was provoking the Orcs with obscene gestures. The ugly creatures were baring their sharp teeth, mere seconds away from attacking. Tulrah stopped to look at the fight which was about to ensue with an expression of delightful anticipation on his face, like a theatre goer who is about to witness a premiere.  
  
With a growl the first Orc attacked one of the humans. His nasty, dark blade cut through the body of the man like through a thin sheet of paper. Droplets of blood rained down on the by-standers who stood there with their mouths agape and their eyes wide in shock. Then they snapped out of their trance like state and reached for their own weapons to avenge their fallen comrade.  
  
Tulrah squinted his eyes together, not at all pleased with the direction this little bloodshed was going. He had to intervene unless he wanted his own army to destroy itself from within, should the conflict spread. A scream, filled with the rage and the cruelty of ages, that let every men and Orc freeze in tracks, resounded over the camp. A few dozen heads whipped around in unison, ready to face the wrath of their warlord, unpredictable in his viciousness and were greeted by a pair piercing red eyes that seemed to glow with sheer anger like lava out of the depths of Mount Doom.  
  
"Who is responsible for this?", Tulrah's voice thundered over the camp. Silence. A feral smile spread over the Selvadage'tok's face. He stepped closer to the men who stood perfectly still, emitting the delicate scent of fear as they tried desperately not to show any signs of it. Tulrah licked his lips, savouring this moment and the delightful feeling of unlimited power that came with it.  
  
Without a warning he whirled around, extending his long, sharp claws in the process and drove them deep into the stomach of an unsuspecting human. The man's eyes widened in surprise when he looked down and saw the blood oozing from his midsection, while the life slowly drained out of him. Tulrah twisted the claws inside of his body with an angry yank before he retreated them ever so slowly, causing his victim to scream out with pain before it slumped to the floor like a discarded doll. With cruel fascination the Selvadage'tok watched the blood slowly dribble down his talons and form little red rivers that ran over the palm of his hand. Nobody dared to move or much less speak and all eyes were fixed on Tulrah, dreading his next move.  
  
After a few minutes of unbearable silence he finally decided to speak, "You only live, because I wish to! And if you die, you will because I gave you permission to! You will obey or you will perish and I'll be delighted to kill you myself, as you have just witnessed! Should I ever see you again fighting against each other a faith more cruel than death will await you!" With that he turned around and left them. Even after he left the depressing silence that hung over the heads of the warriors didn't cease it stayed never leaving them, for now they had realized what this was all about. It was a matter of life or death. Obey or perish!  
  
Tulrah's keen eyes could make out tiny black shadow approaching in the cloudless night sky. It was the hawk he had sent out as a scout in order to find out if anybody was following him. A sense of foreboding overcame him, even ere the bird of prey landed on his shoulder and whispered to him the things he had seen. With every word the grin on Tulrah's face got bigger. He had hoped that she would be stupid enough to follow him, because he would finally be able to do what he had wished for all of the time. A loud laugh escaped his fanged mouth resounding over the quiet camp. He would torture her in every way possible until she begged for mercy and maybe, yes maybe, after her voice would be hoarse from days of screaming he would reward her with a slow and painful death, but first it was time to play.  
  
~  
  
Legolas was standing on the peak of a soft hill, overlooking the seemingly endless plains that stretched out before him under the light of the moon and stars, like a sea of grass- wild and untamed- untouched by men. He had needed some time to himself and had left the camp for a brief walk, but even now he wasn't able to stop thinking about her. His thoughts always wandered back to the sight of her that had been burned into his mind, leaving behind an eternal mark.  
  
To Legolas the most disquieting feeling was confusion, as it was something that had simple ceased to exist as his experience had increased in the course of decades and century. With time everything found its explanation, fell into place, followed a certain order and inspired in him a certain sense of calmness and peacefulness.  
  
Selina was confusion, an uncontrollable force that threatening to invalidate his believes, he had established carefully in the course of centuries, in the blink of an eye. Legolas didn't know what to be more afraid of - her or the feelings she awoke in him. Feelings that couldn't be uttered by mere words, because they exceeded everything that could be expressed by them. With one foot he had slept into a new world where he would find completion and the answer to all his prayer for true love, but the other foot was still entangled in roots, which drew him back to his old ways.  
  
Suddenly he had the feeling of being watched and his bright blue eyes darted from side to side in search of the intruder. He turned around, almost coming to stand face to face with Selina, who was watching him with a smirk on her beautiful face. Legolas let out an annoyed sigh and ran his hand through his blond hair, walking back and forth in front of her. Was he not allowed to have even a minute of peace to put in order the chaos of his thoughts? She seemed to be like a shadow, following him wherever he went.  
  
"Is there something I can do for you?", he said with exasperation swinging in his voice.  
  
"Actually there is!", she said pausing briefly to look him challengingly in the eye, before she continued. "Stop running away from me and stop being so stupid!"  
  
The elf looked at her with a baffled expression on his face that only encouraged her to continue talking. "Legolas", Selina sighed "we have been dancing around each other all day long. Whenever I look at you your feelings shine brightly in your eyes. I keep asking myself if my senses deceive me, tricking me into believing that it is love I see there. Now the only question left to answer is whether you are going to act on what we both know is there or just ignore it. I for my part think that you are stupid! These are times of war! We don't know if we will come out of this adventure alive, nevertheless you act like there is all the time in the world and nothing to loose." The elf wanted to protest, but she touched his lips begging him with her eyes to just listen quietly for the time being. "Well, you said that elves felt no passion, that there is no heat when love is involved. Let me proof you otherwise!", her voice came out as a husky whisper that sent shivers down his spine.  
  
"Lets just see this as a little experiment! I will..." she took a step closer, her eyes locked deeply with his that shone brightly in the dark with astonishment "simply get closer and closer until the distance between us will be reduced to mere inches. I will let you determine what happens, no tricks and no pressure!"  
  
Legolas looked at her unable to speak or form any coherent thoughts. He was utterly intoxicated by fire gleaming intensely in her eyes that seemed to call to him stronger and stronger the closer she got. Her long brown hair fell loosely over her shoulders, caressing them softly and swaying lightly from side to side with each step she took. Her red mouth was curled into a sensuous smile, coaxing him to kiss her and taste the sweetness of those lips. The distance between them had in the mean time reduced to one meter. He simply had to reach out and touch her, but he still held his feelings in check, not giving in, though they screamed at him to do so. The air between them was heavy, loaded with a crackling energy that increased in intensity the closer they got to each other. The last step was made! Selina face was mere inches apart from his, she looked at him expectantly, unconsciously licking her lips. His expression was unreadable, while inside he burned in the flames of the hottest fire. Selina raised her hand to caress his cheek, but froze in motion, never to complete her movement. Her palm was hovering over his skin, that suddenly seemed to prickle in anticipation of her soft touch. "I could touch you right now if I knew that you wanted me to, that you would let me.", her eyes had a sad expression to them. Moments passed in silence, she squinted her eyes together in defeat, hung her head dejectedly and turned to leave, but a gentle, but firm grip held her back. Her eyes widened in astonishment and fixed on the hand that lay on her arm. With a swift movement Legolas gathered her in his arms, hesitating briefly before he lowered his lips on hers in a passionate kiss.  
  
Selina felt like tiny little stars were exploding behind her eyelids, as if she had left the earth and was now soaring high up in the clouds. It was not a mere kiss, it was a joining of souls. It held everything Legolas had wanted to tell her, his love, his devotion to her and the passion she had unleashed inside of him that left him confused and helpless. They were lost in each other, sharing the same emotions, that were washing over them with the impact of the raging sea.  
  
When they came up for air they were both breathless, panting heavily. Selina looked in Legolas's eyes and saw a fire burning inside of them that hadn't been there before. There was something different about his demeanour she couldn't quite put her finger on. The wisdom of ages that radiated from him was now mixed with the vigour of youth and eternal glow of love. She let her hand run softly through his silky hair and looking at him with astonishment written on her fair features. "What is it, melamin /my love/?", came his soft question. "I just thought that all the time you haven't been the one who didn't know passion- I was.", she smiled up at him with a bemused expression on her face. He laughed and tenderly kissed her on the forehead.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hi there! I hope you liked this chapter because it's a mixture of utter fluff and gore *grins*! I have received some incredible nice reviews in the last day! Thank you so much for that! Joelle, Jadaa's Angel, Black Jaguar 12, Orion, LegolasLuver123, lulu bell (and all those lovely others) - you rock!  
  
But there are also people out there who apparently take a lot pleasure in flaming others mercilessly. I know that this turns out to be some major Mary- Sue, but guys, please show a little open-mindedness! After all the story is not over yet and who knows what is still to come! I'm not doing this because I think I'm some prize winning super writer, but because I *like* writing and right now I'm just up for a little sappiness and fluff. After all I'm not forcing anybody to read this! If you hate it just click it away. Yes, it's actually as easy as that! I highly appreciate it when people are able to stay polite, criticizing you in a way that is civilized, because that's a value I was raised with and I still believe in today. I don't take any offence if I'm criticized, because only through this you can learn from your mistakes. But if you just sit down in front of your computer and ramble on angrily about how much my story sucks without giving a second thought about WHAT your actually saying - Please, spare me! 


	15. The wrath of mother nature’s servants

Chapter 15: The wrath of mother nature's servants  
  
"What do you think they are doing, Aragorn?" Gimli asked with a strange mixture of jealousy, preoccupation and curiosity ringing in his voice. "Gimli, it has been the hundredth time you've asked me. Give it a rest!! If you are so curious, go and seek them out yourself, but if you run into an embarrassing situation don't blame me. I told you!" the king of Gondor said, gesturing exasperatedly.  
  
Gandalf was not following their little quarrel, his eyes were focused on the horses. They had been agitated all night long, their hoofs stomping nervously, their heads moving from side to side. Shadowfax was not among them, because the wizard released it from his service every night, so it could run free on the plains whenever it wanted. The foreboding of something bad was lying in the air and the old Istari frowned his forehead in concern. He rose from his place near the fire, squinting his eyes together in concentration, trying to make out anything in the dark. "What is it Gandalf?" Aragorn asked, who had noticed the wizard's preoccupied face. "I don't know yet, but we have to be careful." the Istari answered with a gloomy look in his eyes.  
  
"Look who's back!" they heard the dwarf exclaim suddenly and turned their heads in the direction indicated by Gimli and saw Selina and Legolas approach the camp, holding hands as the walked up to their friends. That was not the only thing that had changed about them, as an aura of happiness and light-heartedness was radiating from them, shining brightly as the stars in the midst of the night. "Have you waited for us, little bear?" Selina smiled at the dwarf, with kindness in her eyes. "One tends to worry when his friend are gone without a word for hours." the dwarf mumbled in his beard. The Selvadage'tok woman let out a warm laugh. "Now, now, Gimli! If I didn't know any better, I'd say this she-demon here has grown on you." She petted him on the head affectionately and the dwarf let out an annoyed huff, trying to hide the laughter and friendliness that sparkled in his eyes, clearly visible to anyone.  
  
Suddenly Selina tensed, as a strange feeling overcame her, making all her senses ring in alarm at once. "What is it, my love?" the elf asked her with a preoccupied look on his face. The woman frowned and suddenly realisation hit her with the force of a ton of brigs. "Prepare yourselves for a fight, the enemy is about to attack!" Selina said between clenched teeth and drew her twin daggers. "But there is nobody. How....?" Gimli asked her in astonishment. "Trust me on this, my friend! My brother has sent some of his creatures to get rid of us." the Selvadage'tok hissed, looking tensely from side to side.  
  
The men drew their weapons and formed a circle around the campfire, searching the dark for attackers. They didn't have to wait long until they were greeted by the sight of at least twenty five pairs of eyes, gleaming viciously in the dark, slowly coming closer and closer. "Wargs!" Selina growled deep in her throat, spitting out the word as if it was stale wine. "They are going to kill the horses!" Aragorn exclaimed, his eyes searching the dark nervously. "We will not be able to save them. There are too many of those hideous beast." Legolas answered, his bow drawn, waiting for a suitable aim to fire his arrow at.  
  
Moments of silence passed, then the first Warg sprang out of the dark with a blood chilling roar and attacked the group of warriors. Before it could cause any damage it was hit in the throat by two arrows, killing it within the blink of an eye, as its the life force quickly drained out of it with its last shuddering gasp for air. Then all hell broke loose. The warriors were occupied with the gruesome task of cutting, slicing, killing, in order to fight for their lives. Selina was just finishing off one particularly nasty beast, when suddenly she heard the loud trampling of heavy feet approaching her with the force of an earthquake. She turned around and her eyes widened in surprise. A Warg was galloping up to her at full speed, ready to ram her and trample her to death. She just stood there calmly until it came into closer range, hurtling towards her with the velocity of a meteor. Seconds before the creature hit her, she jumped up in the air and landed on its back, never faltering a step. She forcefully grabbed a strand of its dirty fur to keep balance and then drove her twin daggers with all her might into its big and ugly skull. She retreated them quickly and the Warg collapsed with one last strangled, high-pitched squeal. The force of its sudden stop sent Selina flying off its back. She landed with such an immense impact on the floor, that it blew the air out of her lungs.  
  
She rose to her feet and swayed dizzily from side to side, while the world seemed to spin in a blur of colours around her. Selina tried to calm her uneven breathing, trying to regain control over her body again. When her gaze became focused again, she turned her head to see how the others were doing. Legolas was shooting arrows at the beasts ceaselessly, his face frozen in a concentrated expression, while his hands quickly drew the bow for the next shot. He accomplished his task with a merciless accuracy, killing many of their attackers in the process.  
  
From behind her she could hear the booming voice of the dwarf. He seemed to be well, too, because he still managed to complain even in battle. From the corner of her eye she could see him fighting off one of this vicious beasts with his sharp axe, shouting unspeakable insults at the creature, while he drove it back into darkness. As she had expected Aragorn was also doing well. He was just finishing off one Warg with a deadly blow of Isildur's blade. "Their numbers don't seem to diminish! How many are there of them?" he shouted over the noise of the battle. "For every creature we kill, two more seem to appear." Gandalf called out, defending himself skilfully with his sword Glamdring and his ever present long staff.  
  
Selina tried to estimate the number of their enemies, but she lost count at thirty. This brief moment of carelessness would have almost cost her her life, because she didn't notice one of the attackers sneaking up on her from behind. Legolas who had kept an eye on her all the way through the battle, let out a terrified scream, when he saw what was about to happen. "Selina, watch out!" his voice rang out over the battlefield filled with horror. He saw her eyes slowly widen in realisation, then she turned around, the moment seemed to stretch out a painful eternity, facing the deadly creature. All he could do was watch helplessly, because other attackers were blocking him from firing at the beast. He prayed to the Valar for a wonder to save her from death and his prayers didn't go by unheard, as Selina was suddenly pushed out of the way of the hideous Warg by a black, furry shadow, he could only make out as a blur, as it quickly approached her.  
  
The Selvadage'tok tried to sit up, but she was pinned to the ground by Sulrathi's paws, who looked at her with a friendly expression in her eyes. "I thought you could need some help, little kitten!" the she-panther said and jumped off of her. "Thank you. Looks like you just arrived at the right moment." Selina answered with relief swinging in her voice. Within the blink of an eye Legolas was at her side and helped her up. "Thank heavens, you are alright!" he exclaimed and briefly caressed her cheek, as if to reassure himself that she was really standing there, unharmed and safe. Selina smiled back at him and nodded, seeing relief wash over his fair face. Sulrathi had, in the mean time, approached them soundlessly and nuzzled Legolas's palm with her nose. "He smells good, but I can tell he's already taken!" the panther purred teasingly. Selina let out a rich laugh and petted the Sulrathi on the head.  
  
The elf eyed them with a slightly uncomfortable expression on his face, because he wasn't used to seeing a predator from this close and he had the slight suspicion that they were talking about him. Then he remember the dangerous situation in which they were, as the noise of the battle approached his ears again, which had been silenced by his relief over the rescue of his loved one. He whipped around to concentrate on the task at hand, fending of all approaching attackers so Selina and Sulrathi had a brief moment to talk.  
  
"Do you have any advise as to how we could get out of this mess?" Selina asked Sulrathi with a frown on her beautiful face. The she-panther cocked her head and looked at her with its piercing golden eyes. "I thought you were a shaman. If I remember correctly they taught you how to deal with situations like that." Sulrathi explained to her. "What do you mean?" she was baffled. The panther let out a growl that sounded like a laugh. "Come here kitten and lie your hand on my head. I will help you remember."  
  
Selina kneeled down next to Sulrathi and did as she was told. At first she felt nothing except the sensation of the soft fur of the panther under the palm of her hand, but then suddenly the dam broke and a flow of energy seemed to run into her. She had the feeling as if she soared above her body, seeing herself and the panther, sitting lost in peaceful meditation somewhere down there in the midst of a chaotic battle. Memories flashed before her eyes she had never lived through herself. She saw Sulrathi with others of her kind, running majestically under the blue sky, free from all cares and worries that human life held, enjoying every minute of the day without regrets. She suddenly remembered the days of her own youth when she had been equally happy, playing outside with her brother Tulrah or following the daily lessons, they had received from the old shaman. Everything became as clear as if it happened yesterday, every word their teacher had said resounded in her ears as if it had just been spoken, while the she-panther seemed to whisper additional information into her ear, adding some facts the old woman had forgotten to mention or simply hadn't known. And suddenly she knew what she had to do! It was as clear as daylight to her, as if the solution had been there all the time.  
  
Selina reached inside of herself summoning all the power and strength she could muster. It grew quickly like a plant that was unfolding its first leaves in the rays of spring sun. She opened her eyes, which were now completely black like polished onyx stones and the air around her crackled with energy. The attack of the Wargs suddenly stopped, as they froze in tracks and stood there motionless like statues.  
  
Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas stood their and watched the whole scene with baffled expressions on their faces. The Wargs looked like they had been captured in an ice crystal. Some were frozen in a grotesque position in the middle of an attack, their eyes terrified beyond expression by what was just happening to them. An eerie silence had settled on the battleground and the warriors looked at Gandalf questioningly, waiting for an explanation to this phenomenon. The wizard simply turned around and pointed at Selina who was sitting on the floor like a terrifying statue, her hand touching the panther's head. Both were radiating with sheer power as the raw as the force of a thunder storm that raged mercilessly over the trees of a forest.  
  
Selina had the feeling as if she was seeing through a hundred eyes at once. She had sharp claws and deadly fangs, her huge body was filled with indescribable rage and anger directed towards every being that crossed her way. Her mind had taken control over the Wargs, bending their wills with the iron grip of her small, but powerful hand. She rose from her sitting position, her eyes sparkling dangerously with pure rage.  
  
Her voice cut the air with the terrifying howl, when she spoke in a deep voice to their attackers. "Leave, immediately and never come back or I will show no more mercy, for I am mother nature's servant and I will punish you for your disobedience against her. Now run back to your foul master and tell him that I got his message and I'm not afraid to face him!" The Wargs were suddenly released from the mental grip in which she had held them forcefully and ran off giving away miserable high-pitched whimpers.  
  
Selina exhaled in relief and then she suddenly felt exhaustion overwhelm her with the force of a mighty blow. She staggered and darkness seemed to engulf her immediately.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you very much for those incredible nice reviews! All of you! (Especially to Beguile who put up with this despite of his/her dislike for Legomance.)  
  
And a special thanks to Godforsaken, who took the time to sit down and come up with some very helpful advice. (I'm really happy you did!!!) I will try my best to pay attention to the points you mentioned (I haven't even been aware of most, so you didn't drown me in criticism - it really helped me a lot)  
  
I would absolutely love to get a beta reader, preferably somebody who also writes fanfiction. I got myself some spellchecker software, but as I am not a native speaker of the English language, I'm sometimes unsure when it comes to grammar or certain colloquial expressions.(But I must tell you that English sounds way better than my native language does. After all there has to be a reason, why most of our singers choose to make their text in it. *grins*)  
  
To Black Jaguar: I really do like all sorts of cats! Ever since I was little we always had one. Nowadays when I come home from college, they (2) are usually lying around sleeping, but back in the old days, they were the sweetest little trouble makers :) 


	16. Side effects

Chapter 16: Side effects  
  
Selina's consciousness was slowly surfacing from the depths of sleep. Her legs were engulfed by a pleasant warmth, it felt like a soft, but heavy blanket was stretched out on them. Her eyelids fluttered open lazily and even her tiniest movement seemed to provoke an incredible response. "Selina! Melamin /my love/, how are you?" she heard Legolas's soft voice. Four preoccupied faces were hovering over her, she could only make out as a blur. She blinked lazily several times and finally the world came into a much clearer focus. Legolas was sitting next to her and tenderly stroke her head, his eyes shining brightly with a mixture of relief and love.  
  
Gimli was looking at her with a smile on his face, happy to see her safe and sound. Aragorn's and Gandalf's expressions were giving away equal emotions. She stirred and locked down at her feet, surprised that she couldn't move them. Sulrathi lay on them sleeping peacefully, purring contently and looking very much like a harmless little kitten.  
  
The wizard raised his eyebrows and looked at Selina, his eyes twinkling friendly. "You had us worried for a while! You have been asleep for quite some time." he said finally. "How long have I been sleeping?" she asked, her voice coming out as a hoarse rasp. "Three days." came the soft answer from Legolas. "Three days! We have lost three day, because of me!?" she asked incredulously. "No, we didn't!" Aragorn answered her calmly. "The horses have been killed by the Wargs, but we continued our hunt on Tulrah nevertheless. Legolas carried you in his arms, while you were sleeping!" She gasped in surprise and looked at the elf with a tint of accusation in her gaze. "Do not worry, melamin! I assure you were as light as a feather!" the elf winked at her and laughed. "It seems that you are well enough to make jokes, than it couldn't have been all that bad." she smiled at him with mischief sparkling in her eyes. The others chuckled at her remark, relieved of the burdening worries of the last days that had hung over their heads like rain clouds.  
  
~  
  
She spent the rest of the day recovering from her long sleep, eating and drinking to regain her strength. Legolas had refused to leave her all day, but finally she had shooed him away to go scouting the area with Aragorn. She was now sitting near the fire, chatting merrily with Sulrathi who was stretched out lazily at her feet.  
  
The Selvadage'tok shaman was finally alone and the wizard finally had the opportunity to engage her in a conversation he had wanted to have with her ever since the battle against the Wargs. Gandalf approached her and sat down next to her, staring silently into the flames for a while before he decided to talk.  
  
"That was quite a little trick you performed there three days ago." he said, pausing for a second, "A power has been unleashed inside of you, I haven't felt there before." He looked at her curiously, challenging her with his eyes for an explanation. "Yes, you could say that I was surprised, too. Especially the side effects came highly....unexpected. I myself have no idea how all of this happened!", she answered truthfully. They seemed to have captured Sulrathi's attention, as the head of the she- panther whipped around at the first words of their conversation. "Maybe, I should explain it to both of you!", she purred out in her velvety voice. "Yes, that would be highly considerate." Gandalf answered.  
  
Selina looked at him in surprise - he was able to speak and understand the language of the animals. The old wizard never ceased to surprise her, whenever she thought she had managed to see through his facade, he pulled a new trick out of his sleeve, after which she had to revise her opinion about him. Well, at least this explained how he had been able to call Shadowfax.  
  
The she-panther lay down in a comfortable position, curdled up in front of the warm campfire and started her tale, her voice coming out as a soft melodious purr. "I'm Selina's totem, that means that I'm here to guide her and protect her when she is in danger. We are united by a bond that goes beyond friendship - we are family. When I evoke this power in her I gave her everything I had to offer - my memories, an ancient knowledge taught by mother nature herself. It's an immense amount of information and it will take some time until you will be able to sort through everything, Selina. But in the meantime you have to trust your instincts, they will guide safely you on your perilous path."  
  
Selina was sitting completely still, the news that she was now equipped with new unknown powers overwhelmed her and washed over her with the force of a tidal wave. She starred into the fire, frozen in position like a statue and a sudden chill seemed to creep through her body, though he was wrapped tightly in a blanket. The memories of the battle against the Wargs terrified her, because she had felt a raw and brutal power raging inside her, almost uncontrollable in its wrath.  
  
"I'm sorry, I think I'll need some time to work through all this. I know you two only have the best intention, but would you please leave me alone for a while?" she asked with a thin and shaky voice. Gandalf stood up and touched her shoulder, understanding shining in his wise eyes. "A lot of people are scared of the potential they discover inside of themselves, but you can rise beyond your fears that hold you back, even beyond your own expectations. I have seen many things in my long live. The weak and small can defeat the most powerful evil, the bravest can fall pray to their own fears and loose themselves in despair and insanity, but in the end it's all up to them! Your own will determines which path you will choose." With that he left together with the she-panther who threw her one last comforting look, before she disappeared with Gandalf in the darkness.  
  
~  
  
She sat there looking at the kindling flames that danced like a ballet in front of her. Somewhere Selina had lost track of time, completely engulfed in her thoughts. She was startled by a soft touch on her shoulder, but knew immediately who it was. He emitted the pleasant smell of comfort, of understanding and love. It was Legolas.  
  
The elf sat down next to her and looked at her for a moment without speaking, his gaze seemed to explore the depths of her soul that his intense blue eyes read like an open book. He draw her closer to him, gathering her in his arms where she felt safe and sheltered from all harm. "What ails you, melamin?" "I....." She took a deep breath before she continued. "I just had a little conversation with Gandalf and Sulrathi. She told me about the powers she awoke in me." Selina drifted of, her forehead in a frown. After a few moments that passed in silence, accompanied only by the soft crackling of the fire, she finally started to speak again. "I'm scared, Legolas! I don't know what is going to happen to me, I feel like I can't control those powers she unleashed in me. They are wild, raw and ancient. They could consume me and I couldn't even prevent it!" "Was the power controlling you, or were you controlling it when you used it in battle?" he asked her matter-of-factly. "I was in control, but I felt this indescribable rage that could have overwhelmed me any minute. I just wanted to destroy those creatures, because they were threatening to kill my friends." she answered and the memories flickered freshly before her mind's eye. "Do you remember the words you said back then? That you were nature's servant and defending it?" he enquired. "Yes, of course I do, but what is it you want to tell me?" Selina asked him with a confused and sad expression on her face. "Well, think about it this way: you are enacting nature's will, defending it against those who attack it. Your task maybe difficult, it will require much effort and you will have to mobilize all your strength to accomplish what you have to do, but nothing of it will happen in the name of evil." Legolas paused to gather his thoughts. "Is the changing of seasons something evil? No, it is simply a means to an end, it is part of the circle of life! We might not be able to understand it, but it is necessary to keep the balance of creation and decay, of life and death. We might not be able to apply the categories of good or evil on nature, because its stands above them. Call it fate, call it the will of the Valar, call it anything you want to, but in the end you will always arrive at the conclusion that everything happens out of a reason. This power has been given to you, because this is the test that life has thought out for you. It is your chance to proof that you are a true warrior, because the fiercest battle is not fought out with the sword, but with your will. It is your chance to proof that your strong and will resist the temptation of evil." "Do you really think that I will be able to do this?" Selina asked hesitantly. "I do not only think so, I know! And I will be there with you to tell you again and again!" he said seriously.  
  
Selina stayed silent for a long time, pondering over his words carefully. Finally she nodded in wordless approval and smiled at him, the tension slowly draining out of her body. "Thank you!" she finally said and kissed him tenderly on the cheek, then a mischievous smile crept over her face "I knew there was a reason why I prefer older men!" He let out a rich, melodious laugh. "I thought you have already lost your heart to the dwarf." He said, alluding to her conversation with Gimli from three days ago. "So, you were listening after all! Well, then you should know that I don't love you because of your good looks!" As soon as the words have left her mouth Selina noticed her 'slip of tongue'. She had just said that she loved him! Obviously the words hadn't escaped Legolas's attention either, as his expression became very serious and his eyes bore into hers with an intensity, she had never felt before. As slowly as the morning sun is rising in the sky a smile, sparkling brilliantly with happiness, spread over his handsome face. "Is this the usual way your people confess their love?" he said and merriment was ringing in his voice. She blushed in embarrassment and averted her gaze.  
  
Legolas moved closer and raised her chin with his hand, looking into the beautiful face of the person that had come to mean the world to him. He could have talked for hours trying to describe his feeling for her in an adequate way, but in his heart he new that it would only be a weak attempt, a waste of breath.  
  
Words can be very powerful and yet sometimes they can be utterly useless. They can be as sharp as the sharpest knife and destroy a person's life. They can start and end wars, decide over life or death. The only think they cannot do is express precisely how we really feel. We build complicate and intriguing works of art with our words, but in the end they are just phantoms that exist to keep up the illusion of a meaning that either isn't there at all or so insignificant that it is barely noticed by anyone. It is best to speak in the simplest words, in order to give them more power, so that they come as close as possible to the essence of what we really want to express with them.  
  
Legolas knew of all that and when he looked at her, remembered what they had lived through together so far, tried to comprehend how much she really meant to him, his mind was flooded with a multitude of words to describe his feelings for her. But all of them were too insignificant to be uttered, so he tenderly took her hand in his and placed a kiss in its palm before he placed it over his heart. "This is yours and it will stay this way for the rest of all times." he said, his eyes never leaving hers. "I wish I could express my feelings better, but whatever I say, will not be able to describe the extend of my love for you. Let my deeds speak for themselves. Let me love you with my every touch, every gaze and every breath. Will you grant me this wish?" She nodded with tears of joy shining in her eyes and finally their lips joined in a soft and tender kiss of true love.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Many of you have suggested that I should turn this into an original fiction. Well, I think that's a good idea, but it might not be as simple as changing the names, because when I wrote this I was really imagining Legolas, Aragorn, Gimli and Gandalf. If I remodelled all of it, it would mean that I would have to create a new set of characters. (Having a dwarf, an elf, a wizard and an human in a party - and also the bit at Rivendell - remind me a bit too much of Tolkien) So if I'm going to do this I'll go all the way!! I'm really thinking about this and maybe there will be an original fiction. But first of all I have to get the whole story out of my system (, because I have it all planned out in a certain way in my head)! So please put up for a little while with me not writing canon! *begs* 


	17. Crossroads

Chapter 17: Crossroads  
  
The next day the group of travellers held their own little council. They were only a few hours from the river Isen and Aragorn and Legolas had found tracks of the enemy that were no older then four days. Tulrah's army must have already entered Gondor and that meant that many lives were at stake.  
  
In the last days Aragorn had been seized by a nagging inquietude, thinking constantly about the danger that threatened his people and got closer to them with each passing day. At night he hadn't been able to sleep, at day he was often ill-humored and irritable. His concern was clearly written on his face for anybody to see. He felt that his responsibilities as the king of Gondor were calling to him and I wished nothing more but to fulfill them.  
  
"I suggest that we split up at this point of our journey as we had decided back in Rivendell." Selina suggested. Gandalf nodded in approval. "Yes, we have to get to Minas-Tirith as soon as possible! As Shadowfax is the only horse that is to our free disposal and can't be influence by the enemy, I will have to leave you and Aragorn has to accompany me. He has to lead the forces of Gondor as their king in the battle against Tulrah and his creatures. That leaves you - Selina, Legolas, Gimli and Sulrathi - behind to continue the hunt. We have yet to decide who of you will try to sneak into Tulrah's camp, in order to execute the plan we had agreed on back at Rivendell and I dare not determine anyone without his or her explicit consent for this dangerous task."  
  
"I will go!" Legolas said determinedly. Gandalf's blue eyes fixed on him with a mixture of compassion and admiration. Aragorn looked at his elfish friend sadly, but with the knowledge that this was the only reasonable decision, while Gimli simply nodded grimly. "No, you will not!" Selina hissed at him with indescribable anger ringing in her voice. "Have you gone totally insane? You will get killed within in the blink of an eye! You don't know Tulrah, you don't know what he is capable of.." "There is no other way, melamin." he answered with a sad sigh. "Yes, there is! I'm going with you and don't you dare to convince me otherwise or I swear I will let you know what I meant by biting and scratching back at the 'Spirit of the River'. We are in this together and I will not let you run to your death, when I have just found you." she said in an angry voice.  
  
A depressing silence hovered over the heads of the group of friends, after their destinies had been sealed by their own hands. Finally the wizard decided to speak up. "Then it is settled! Aragorn and I will leave as soon as Shadowfax arrives here. The way we walked together ends here, but our fates will stay joined. May the Valar help us and protect us, my friends!"  
  
~  
  
After the council was dissolved Aragorn approached Legolas and took him aside. "I would like to talk to you." he said in a serious voice. "Walk with me a little while." They left the camp and strolled slowly over the wide grass land that lay in front of them. They had been friends for many years and a comfortable silence surrounded them which bothered neither of the two men. After a while Aragorn decided to speak and ask the question that had occupied his mind for the last days. "Are you happy, mellonamin /my friend/?" he asked simply, knowing very well that Legolas would understand without further ado that he was referring to his blossoming romance with the Selvadage'tok woman.  
  
The elf stopped walking and looked over the plains with a far away look in his eyes, his mind contemplating Aragorn's question. "If those were not times of war, I would answer your question without hesitation with a clear 'yes', but as it is there is a lot to worry about. When I saw that Warg attacking Selina, ready to kill her and I realized I could not continue walking this earth without her in it. She has opened my eyes to a new world, completely different and more beautiful than the old one, due to her presence in it. It is truly incredible how the heart can change within a few weeks, when before decades have left it unaffected by anything." he smiled at his friend with a melancholic expression on his face. "I fear more for her life than I do for my own. Is this not strange?" Legolas said with wonder shining in his eyes. "No, it is not. Trust me I know the feeling. But, please, be careful when you go on this mission! Try not to put your life or hers in any unnecessary danger! Arwen and I wish nothing, but the best for you and we would be incredible horrified should anything bad happen to you. I would very much like to be invited to your wedding one day, my friend. Do not let me hope in vain! " he lay a soothing hand on his friend's shoulder. "Aa' lasser en lle coia orn n' omenta gurtha. /May the leaves of your life tree never turn brown./" Aragorn said and the friends embraced tightly before the king of Gondor left to save his people. "Namaarie, melonamin. /Farewell, my friend./" said Legolas the wind, carrying away his melodious voice.  
  
~  
  
Selina watched the white spot that was Shadowfax and its two riders slowly disappear from sight. From this moment the sand was running unstoppable through the hourglass, there was no more turning back, no more running away. Her mind had often ponder over those two options, especially in the last few days. She just wanted to grab Legolas and run away from this fight and its uncertain outcome without ever looking back, but her heart and her responsibilities told her otherwise.  
  
They had packed their few belongs within minutes and were now running over the plains towards the River Isen. Their travel was accompanied by the incessant complains of the dwarf who mumbled angrily under his beard and the clanging noise of his armour. She looked ahead an saw the sun set in a blaze of red light, engulfing their surroundings in warm colours. She looked at her Legolas, Gimli and Sulrathi, wondering what the future would hold in store for them. Questions to which she feared to know the answer flashed in her mind and nagging fear whispered to her in her head, while she kept on running.  
  
~  
  
A cruel smile was playing around Tulrah's mouth. The Warg lay slain before him in a pool of his own blood, crimson and smelling deliciously of violence. Its death had been unnecessary, but it had satisfied his ever present urge to kill for the time being. The message it had carried had been highly amusing: his sister thought in her usual arrogance that she could take him, that she could act up as the brave and mighty saviour of Middle-Earth. The mere thought of this scenario was absolutely hilarious and his body shook with vicious laughter. He couldn't wait to see the surprise on her face when she would discover what forces she was fighting against. 


	18. Preparations

Chapter 18: Preparations  
  
The last six days had kind of passed in a blur in front of her eyes and Selina wondered how they had arrived at this point. By day they ran until every muscle in their legs burned and refused to carry them any further. At night she rolled up beside Legolas and fell asleep almost immediately in his embrace, totally overwhelmed by exhaustion. They would spent the next day and the day after this in the same fashion. Running, stopping for a break, running, sleeping and running again.  
  
These were really the most miserable days of her life and they would have really become unbearable if she wouldn't have been surrounded by friends. There was Gimli whose gruffness made her laugh when all she wanted to do was cry, Sulrathi who helped her with her wisdom and Legolas who comforted her with his mere presence and loving support.  
  
Then the day came, the day when they spotted the first signs that they were coming closer to Tulrah. It started with tracks that were only one day old, continued with coal that still burned hidden under the cinder of an hastily extinguished campfire and ended with spotting the advancing army right in front of them.  
  
Now they were lying, hidden by bushes, on the peak of an hill, looking down at the valley where the army was just setting up its camp. Pieces of conversation floated up to them, the screaming of superiors and the noisy clattering of weapons. Legolas motioned Selina with his eyes to retreat and tell the others what they had seen. They carefully crawled back to Gimli and Sulrathi who waited for them, hidden perfectly by the coppice.  
  
"Well, what have you seen?" the dwarf asked them impatiently. "Their numbers are even greater than the elfish scout at Rivendell had estimated." Selina stated, a mixture of amazement and fear ringing in her voice. "They are well organised, equipped and excellently trained." Gimli looked at them with a grim expression on his wrinkly face. Legolas continued "We have to observe them, find out in which intervals the watch patrols and how the camp is structured. When we strike it must be well planed and quickly, we cannot afford any mistakes or we will die in the blink of an eye. Well, if we are lucky that is."  
  
~  
  
It had to be late in the night, because the horizon was already starting to brighten again, the grey colour creeping up slowly from the edge of the world. Legolas and Selina were both staring down at the camp intently, trying to memorise everything they saw as good as possible: who took which watch at what time, where did the soldiers pass by on their patrol, when did the next group overtake those duties and so on.  
  
When they had seen enough they left their surveillance post and hid in the shelter of the trees and bushes. Legolas took a small piece of wood in his hand and began to draw the outlines of the camp in the dirt at their feet. Four circles and in the middle an X that marked the spot were Tulrah's tent stood. "This is our destination, we have to reach it at any cost." he pointed at the mark in the centre of his drawing. "Those other circle are, according to what I saw, ordered by the rang of the troops. Apparently he tends to keep the potential troublemaker close to him, probably to intimidate them. So we have Orcs and Uruk- hais in the inner circles and humans in the periphery." She silently nodded in approval and he looked up to smile at her briefly. Then he continued, remembering the task at hand. "Watches change every hour and consist only of members of one race. Obviously he had some trouble with discipline of his troops which could turn out to be a helpful information for us. I think we have as good as everything covered. We should be able to strike tomorrow night."  
  
~  
  
The next day seemed to stretch out eternally, every minute as long as an hour. A depressing tension hung over the heads of the little group like a rain cloud that was ready to wash over them. Legolas and Selina were walking a bit ahead of Gimli and Sulrathi, scouting the area with their keen eyes.  
  
Selina kept repeating a few words in her head as if they were a prayer, 'I wish this was over' she thought incessantly, fearing the outcome of their mission and for Legolas's life and hers. Then and again she stole some hidden glances at the elf, full of sadness and fear. His face was covered by a mask of determination and an eerie air of calmness surrounded him.  
  
She walked over, not being anymore able to continue in silence. "Do you not fear what is to come?" she asked him in a shaky voice. Legolas answered softly "More than anything else in my life." "Yes, now that there is so much to lose..." her voice trailed of and she looked at him with a mixture of sadness and love shining in her eyes. "There is so much I would like to do with you and a million plans are running through my head, yet they are all in vain. Who knows if we will live to see the next morning. I wish with all my heart that we will come out of this unharmed, but the facts speak against it. " Selina paused briefly before she continued to speak. "I love you and I couldn't stand losing you. So you have to promise me something." she looked at him questioningly and he nodded at her. "If I am captured don't try to save me. Please, don't risk your life." "You can't ask me to stand idly by." he protested and incredible anger flashed in his eyes. "Do you want us both to die?" she asked looking him square in the eye. "What sense is there in continuing without you?" his voice hushed and immensely sad.  
  
They stopped walking and just looked at each other in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Selina stepped closer and drew him into an embrace. They held each other tightly, never wanting to let go, as if they could freeze time with their embrace and it would continue running unstoppable through her hands when they stepped out of it. "Amin mela lle." Legolas said into her ear and a pleasant shiver washed over her skin at the closeness of his voice. "What does that mean?" Selina asked him in a husky voice after a while. He smiled softly "It means: I love you. I will never leave you again and nobody will be able to keep me away from you." She looked up at him and saw in his face that his words were true. She drew him closer and they shared a passionate and desperate kiss, that let them forget the world around them for a while. But they couldn't block it out for long, because Legolas suddenly felt a soft tug on the hem of his tunic. The two lovers broke apart and looked around in surprise.  
  
Gimli stood before them with crossed arms, merriment shining in his eyes. Next to him on the ground sat Sulrathi that seemed to grin as contentedly as a cat that had just eaten a canary. "Now, now, you two love birds. The ghost of Sauron himself could sneak up on you like this and you wouldn't even notice him. Hope you don't get too distracted, because it would be highly embarrassing if we lost a whole army." the dwarf smirked cheekily.  
  
~  
  
Tulrah was in a especially good mood today, he whistled a song to himself and received some surprised looks from the soldiers riding beside him, which ceased immediately after he had hissed and bared his sharp fangs to them.  
  
There was no beast in these lands that did not stand under his service. There was no bird, no squirrel, no wildcat, yes not even an insect that didn't lend his eyes to him. They had already informed him days ago that Selina and her friends were catching up on them and right now all he had to do was wait until she came to him. He wondered when she would stop hiding from him and would finally try her luck. His mouth curled in a vicious grin at the mere thought of it. 


	19. Family reunion

Thank you for all those nice reviews! *does her happy dance* A hug to JB! Hope you are having fun with this! Now on to a little blood spilling! *smirks*  
  
Chapter 19: Family reunion  
  
The time had come. It was a perfectly clear night, the stars and the moon shining high up in the clear night sky. Everything was peaceful, as they were about to go on their perilous mission. They were both clothed in black cloaks, their faces hidden by large hoods, their weapons tied closely to their bodies so that the didn't make any noise.  
  
Selina and Legolas hugged the dwarf tightly with the thought in the back of their minds that this could well be the last time they ever saw each other.  
  
"Listen, Gimli. It is absolutely essential that you and Sulrathi stay here and keep an eye on everything. If we should fail we need somebody to tell Aragorn and Gandalf what happened." Selina said to the dwarf in a serious tone. Gimli nodded gravely and squeezed her hand affectionately before she turned to go. "Be careful, you two and come back in one piece!" he said. Selina smiled at him warmly and nodded. Sulrathi was sitting at her feet and looked up at her with sadness in her eyes. "I guess it is time for good bye, but I hope not for long, my little kitten." said the she-panther. Selina kneeled down, petted her on the head and whispered in her ear. "Thank you for everything and watch out for Gimli, will you!" Then she looked at Legolas determinedly, signalling him that she was now ready to go.  
  
He nodded at her and they turned to leave, sneaking quickly down the slope and hid behind the nearest tent at the edge of the camp. They were nearly invisible in the shelter of the dark and waited with held breaths for the next opportunity to continue their way. Selina tensed as she heard the sound of approaching feet, pressing further into the safety of the shadow. The watch passed without noticing the intruders, humming contently a little song to himself. When the man was out of sight they sprinted over to a covered wagon in ten meters distance which hid them effectively from the curious eyes of the guards.  
  
"Where to next?", Selina whispered breathlessly in Legolas's ear. He indicated a spot a stone's throw from the position they where now. They continued their way in similar fashion, soundless and as by a miracle undetected. Everything seemed to go smoothly, though several times they had almost run into one of Tulrah's warrior and were saved by what was pure luck. They got closer and closer to the middle of the camp and Selina inquietude increased with every step they took.  
  
When they finally arrived there, no guards were standing at the entrance of Tulrah's tent. She frowned her forehead. Could he really be that careless and arrogant? She chased this thought away and they continued their mission as they had previously discussed. They observed the tent for a few minutes. It seemed that only one person was inside, because they could only make out one shadow in the shine of the flickering candles whose light glowed through the fabric of the tent.  
  
They would quickly cut an opening in the back of the tent and try to get a hold of Tulrah. Legolas and Selina positioned themselves at two points of the makeshift dwelling with their daggers out. They made eye contact with each other, it was the signal to strike. Selina's blade cut quickly through the fabric, while her heart beat hectically inside her chest. Then she jumped inside her eyes scanning her surroundings. Legolas stood a few meters from her, doing the same.  
  
She spotted a huge armchair, with a man sitting laxly on it, his back turned to them as if they didn't pose any threat to him. He drew a deep breath and let out a dry and humorless laugh. "Oh, what is this I smell...my sister has brought me an elf. How thoughtful of her!" he mocked, his voice cold and sharp as an ice crystal. Tulrah rose from his seat and slowly turned around, the light of the candles revealing his face clearly to Legolas and Selina.  
  
His irises were ruby red, shining viciously with malice and blood lust. The expression on his face could be best described as feral, as very little of his Selvadage'tok side was left in it. Tulrah was more beast than man, with his sharp fangs, his unshaved face and his long hair. He was towering over them threateningly, his muscular body radiating with sheer strength. His hands had long, sharp claws to them, their purpose only to destroy, not to create.  
  
Selina let out a horrified gasp, for now was the first time that she could truly see how much he had changed by his transformation. Her reaction seemed only to inspire amusement in Tulrah. "What do they say?...Ah, true beauty comes from the inside." he chuckled dryly. He casually played with the grip of his sword and stepped a little bit closer, while his attackers tensed visible, reaching for their own weapons. "But you haven't just dropped by for a duty call, I guess. I have a very bad suspicion." he cocked his head, his face a perfect expression of mock horror. "You wanted to kill me, didn't you? Well, then its up to my to teach you some manners, as our parents have.....lets say left. But two against one? How very unfair and rude of you. " Selina could no longer contain herself, as her anger rose inside of her like a dark cloud. "You are not worthy of talking about my parents, not even worthy of being called their son. You have not only killed them, you have butchered them!" she screamed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Selina forced her drained body to go on, slouching slowly towards her village. The way from the holy lake had been long and while she dragged herself towards home, still exhausted by the ritual, a sense of dreadful foreboding overcame her, increasing in its intensity with every step that brought her closer to her destination.  
  
Her suspicions were verified, when she saw a glow rising against the clear night sky behind the hill where the house of her parents lay. Selina summoned the last remains of strength and climbed the bank, breathing heavily. The sight that awaited her there, hit her with the force of a blow, knocking all the air out of her lungs. A feeling of nausea rose in her stomach and she collapsed on all fours, in front of her the burning black skeleton of the house that had been her shelter, her home where she and her brother had been brought up by their parents with love and understanding.  
  
Her eyes roamed over the sight of devastation, desperately searching for her mother and father and finally fixed on two bodies lying lifelessly in front of the ruins of her home. The grass around them was tinted red, droplets of blood had fallen on it like morning dew. Her legs suddenly gave in and she fell to the ground in a heap. A voice in her head screamed that what she saw wasn't possible, that it was only a cruel trick her eyes played on her.  
  
She started to crawl over to them, her mind repeating two words in her head like a chant 'not dead, not dead'. Finally after what seemed to her an eternity, she was there. The bodies where lying on their stomach and it would have looked like their were sleeping, hadn't the crimson red liquid that surrounded them spoken against it.  
  
Her voice came out frail and full of fear. "Mother? Father?" Her hand reached out to touch her father's shoulder, to awake him from his slumber. He didn't respond so she turned him around. His chest had been shredded by sharp claws, his cloths tinted red, drenched in his own blood. It looked like a vicious beast had attacked him, cruel in its immense anger and hatred. Her father's eyes spoke of incredible horror, opened wide and lifeless.  
  
Selina felt a turmoil of different emotion rise inside of her, all of them coming out at once as a loud blood chilling scream escaped her throat, filled with unspeakable grief and anger.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"You are nothing, but a murdering beast that deserves to die!" Selina screamed her voice filled with cold rage. "I will never understand why women have to be so overly melodramatic." Tulrah rolled his eyes and through an exasperate look at Legolas. "How can you put up with this, lover boy?" The elf looked at him icily, disgust shining in his blue eyes.  
  
"That's enough!" Selina cried out. "Lets fight! You and me, no tricks, just blade against blade." She took her fighting position and motioned him to come closer. "Ah, I though you would never ask." He drew his long sword that gleamed deadly in the warm light of the candles. She ran up to him and attacked him with an angry scream. He blocked her strikes with ease, foreseeing every single one of her moves. "You surely remember that I was always the better one when it came to sword fighting, sister." He wielded his blade with expertise, cutting through the leather of her trousers. The sharp steel ripped open her skin and a huge, bloody gash appeared on her leg. She drew in a sharp breath and her face flinched in pain. "No, worries. This wound will only slow you down. I won't kill you...yet." She tried a new attack, but he knocked one of the daggers out of her hands with a forceful blow of his sword and sent her falling to the ground with a kick to her midsection. Selina lay on the ground writhing in pain and coughing, while Tulrah towered over her. He kneeled down besides her and looked at her interestedly, mesmerizing every drop of blood and every bruise on her skin with delight. "Let me help you up. After all we are not through yet." His hands closed around her upper arm in a vicelike grip, his claws digging deeply into her flesh. She let out a strangled cry, when blood oozed painful from the newly inflicted wound.  
  
Before Tulrah new what was happening he was attacked by Legolas. The elf hadn't been able to contain his rage any longer. It was so overwhelming that it had overpowered his sense of honour and his reason that had kept him until now from joining the fight between the siblings.  
  
Legolas dealt a blow to Tulrah's side which caused the Selvadage'tok to drop Selina immediately and whip around, anger flashing in his vicious eyes. "That stinged!" With a few mighty blows he disarmed the elf and had him pinned against one pole of the tent in no time, his huge hand tightly around his throat. "You thought you could take me, you pathetic excuse for a warrior?" Legolas squirmed under his grip and tried to pry away the brutal fingers that were cutting of his air. "Just a little bit more pressure and you would be dead....But don't you worry, pretty boy. I still got some nice plans for you." He knocked Legolas out cold and let his unconscious body slump to the floor unceremoniously like a discarded toy. Tulrah turned around with a cruel smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Now, back to us, sister. I always thought you had a pretty voice. Be an angel and scream for me, will you?" he snarled and approached her menacingly, his huge body towering over her. 


	20. Overwhelmed

Chapter 20 : Overwhelmed  
  
When she slowly regained consciousness, all her numerous little cuts and wounds came to live with burning pain, screaming loudly to her that she wasn't dead yet. Selina was tied to an armchair unable to move her hands or feet, in fact the exact same one that was standing in the middle of Tulrah's tent. She remembered last night and brief shreds of memories flashed before her mind's eye. Her brother..his sharp claws cutting her flesh..her voice screaming until she was hoarse. She shook her head to chase those dark thoughts away, but then this dreadful voice reached her ears again. The same voice that had mocked her all night long, when she hadn't been able to take the pain anymore and begged for mercy.  
  
"I see you are up. And not a second too late. I have something to show you." Tulrah said to her with anticipation ringing in his voice. She quickly figured out that if he was delighted that was a bad sign. She felt the foreboding of something terrible creep up inside of her. Suddenly she remembered Legolas. What had happened to him? Was he still alive? Selina was seized by a sudden panic. Her breath exhilarated, her eyes darted around and fear nagged at her like a dog on a tasty bone.  
  
"You are probably asking yourself right now what happened to this little friend of yours. I don't want to spoil the surprise, but he plays a great role in the little show I have prepared especially for you."  
  
She spit at him, all her bottled up anger unleashed by his words. Tulrah laughed and wiped his face with his hand, savouring his next words.  
  
"You know that I could smell you all over each other. How stupid of you to drag him into this. Utterly thoughtless really! Who knows in the end something bad might happen to him and that would really be a shame." Her brother whispered in her ear teasingly.  
  
"You should have known that revenge is something that never works out nicely. It is neither suitable nor appropriate for you. It only corrupts you, eats you up from the inside and sinks its little hateful fangs deep into your heart to suck it dry to the last drop until there is nothing left of it, but a black hard rock. From that moment on you are free. No more limits, no more rules, only your own free will. And you, Selina, are not ready for this great feeling, you will never be."  
  
"So you decided after torturing me all night long, to talk me to death, didn't you?" she smiled at him humourlessly.  
  
He raised his eyebrows, his eyes sparkling at her dangerously. "Still as impatient and short-tempered as ever...Well, then let the show begin!" With a quick movement of his hand his claws cut through her ties and he dragged her out of the tent, holding her arm in an iron grip.  
  
She blinked rapidly when they stepped out of the dark, warm tent and the bright rays of sun hit her eyes. It took her a while to get used to the broad day light, but slowly her gaze focused and her surroundings became clearer.  
  
A makeshift arena had been hastily created. Thick barricades of wood surrounded a circle of a fifteen meter radius, with two steady looking gates opposite of each other. A huge crowd, consisting of Orcs, Uruk-hai and men, had gathered to witness the spectacle and was cheering and shouting in anticipation. She shivered at the sound of their voices, full of malice and cruelty. "Bring forth the prisoner!" Tulrah cried out and at once the noise ceased, and made room to a tense silence, filled with curiosity. Selina could make out a glimpse of blond hair in the crowd, coming closer at them. Ice cold shock washed through her whole body. She tried desperately to free herself from her brother's grip, but to no avail. "No! No! Let him go!" she screamed despite of the pain every single syllable uttered from her sore throat caused her. Tulrah just laughed at her in amusement and shook his head.  
  
After a dreadful eternity Legolas was shoved into the circle by two Orcs who threw him one last hideous smile before they closed the wooden gate with a forceful and final bang behind themselves. The elf slowly rose to his feet and she could see that he had blood on his clothes and several cuts and bruises on his face. Despite the circumstances his stance was still proud and regal as ever. Their eyes met, communicating with each other without the need for words.  
  
"I hate to break the moment, but I think the audience wants to see a little blood spilling." Tulrah's words cut loudly through the air, followed by the cheers of the crowd.  
  
"What are you going to do to him, you monster?" Selina spat at him through clenched teeth, hatred sparkling brightly in her golden eyes.  
  
Instead of responding the warlord clapped his hands and two chairs were brought for them to sit down. He sprawled leisurely on one of them and motioned her to take a seat as well. She looked at him, her forehead in a frown, her small frame radiating with anger. "Oh, yes! Your question.....Well, I said it's a surprise, don't be so impatient." He let out a loud whistle and called "Bring in my two beauties!"  
  
At his command two huge cages covered with black fabric were dragged in. The creatures inside of them emitted deep, guttural sounds and the loud trampling of hoofs could be heard. Selina stood there frozen in shock. She was forced to witness the happenings without being able to intervene or prevent any of them. Tears glistened in her eyes that were unable to look away.  
  
The doors of the cages were placed right in front of the gates that had been constructed exactly for this purpose, the two openings matching perfectly. The whole process was accompanied by the angry screams of the locked up creatures. The black drapes were removed on Tulrah's command and revealed two huge wild boars, pawing with their hoofs impatiently. Selina let out a terrified gasp at the side of those two dangerous beasts. Even the Orcs who had dragged the cages took a step back with fear written on their features.  
  
"They are beautiful, aren't they?" Tulrah asked with a satisfied smirk on his face. "I don't know much about elves, but from what I heard they are rather fond of nature. Well, wouldn't it be ironic if your lover would be destroyed by what he has appreciated for all his life - nature." His cold eyes looked at her, enjoying the despair written on her face. A delightful shiver spread through his body and he savoured the feeling completely.  
  
"Any last words, elf?" he asked flatly, his arm raised to give the command to free the beasts. Legolas raised his chin and met Tulrah's piercing gaze proudly. Then his eyes softened when he turned to Selina. "Nothing will ever separate us. I will search for you and find you in the next life." Tulrah let out a hideous laugh and lowered his hand, that fell with the finality of the axe of an executioner.  
  
Suddenly time seemed to stand still. Every single movement stretched out for an eternity: the warlord's minions who were about to free the beasts from their cages and the cheering crowd that was silenced and frozen in a grimace of euphoria. In this fragment of a second, when everything seemed to come to a standstill, Selina summoned all her powers. She felt them rise inside of her, increasing with every second, unstoppable, wild and incredible angry.  
  
The doors of the cages were opened and the beasts slowly stepped out of them, entering the arena hesitantly. The eyes of the audience were fixed curiously on the elf standing defencelessly, without any weapons, in the middle of the arena, facing his destiny with a brave expression on his fair face. The air was heavy with the anticipation of the massacre which was about to ensue.  
  
Suddenly a blood chilling scream filled the arena. So shrill and inhumane that it immediately captured the crowd's attention. Beside Tulrah stood Selina, surrounded by an aura of power, beautiful and yet terrifying. Her voice murmured chants in an ancient language nobody had ever heard, her eyes completely black and bolts of energy shooting out of her finger tips.  
  
The two boars stood there looking nervously from side to side, sensing the presence of a dangerous predator, more powerful and deadly than them. Their eyes finally fixed on the young Selvadage'tok woman, recognizing her as the source of danger, squealing in horror.  
  
"Obey my will and hear nature's orders." she chanted in a deep voice that overpowered the beasts' weak minds in the blink of an eye. Selina took complete control of them, forcefully breaking any resistance she encountered in the process.  
  
The audience watched in cruel fascination and cheered in excitement, when the two boars turned against each other. The lowered their heads and pawed with their hoofs angrily, the tension increasing between them with every second that passed. Then the fight started and the two opponents crashed into each other with an angry grunt.  
  
Selina watched the scene in front of her with an emotionless face, everything seemed so insignificant and small in comparison with the powers that raged inside her. After a few minutes, one of the boars collapsed on the ground with a last, shrill squeal, his huge body covered with uncountable wounds. Its muscles clenched and unclenched as it fought against death that spread in its veins. Slowly a red puddle formed under the fallen beast. Selina watched unflinchingly as the creature exhaled its last shuddering breath and then directed her attention towards the remaining boar. It was in no condition to fight and posed no more threat, as it dragged its bleeding body back to the shelter of its cage.  
  
Selina felt no relief, no fear, no despair - nothing. It was as if her personality, her spirit, had stepped aside and had made room to nature's power that now filled her entire body without leaving any of it to her. All the categories of right or wrong together with everything that had made out her personality, had faded and been replaced by two new priorities: survival at all costs and the will to protect those close to you. The moment that she had feared most had arrived, but now it didn't inspire any feeling in her at all. Power had overwhelmed her and destroyed her will. 


	21. Alienation

Chapter 21: Alienation  
  
Tulrah watched his sister with interest shining in his gaze. The weak and constantly whining girl had been replaced by something much stronger, worthy of being regarded with respected and treated as an equal. He cocked his head and squinted his eyes together in concentration. He finally decided that he had to take a closer look. Tulrah rose from his seat and the chair fell to the floor with a loud clattering noise.  
  
"You've just managed to terrify an army of scoundrels, murderers and monsters. That's quite an achievement if you ask me." he stated matter-of- factly, stepping next to her. "My only intention was to protect my mate." she said and her voice sounded like it belonged to a stranger, distant and cold. He raised his eyebrow and stared at her with a curious expression on his face. "Is that so? What if I told you that he isn't save yet. What if you had to kill an innocent in order to protect your precious little elf's life..." Her eyes sparkled as feral as those of a beast. "Nobody is innocent. Sometimes lives have to be extinguished to preserve others." Tulrah grinned contently at her answer. That didn't sound at all like the person he knew, more like an improved version of her, at least according to him, but before he would trust in this wondrous new change, she would have to prove herself to him.  
  
He raised his voice and called. "Bring me one of our slaves!" On his command a dirty looking man, clothed in rags that hung loosely from his skinny body was dragged into the arena. His body was covered with a mixture of scars and newly inflicted wounds. Tulrah waved over two particularly nasty looking Orcs, motioning them and Selina to follow him. He strolled down to the arena, opened the gate and stepped in.  
  
"Seize them and make sure they don't move!" Tulrah ordered his hideous soldiers. The creatures did as their master bid them and held Legolas and the slave in their tight grip. Tulrah produced as small dagger and held it out to Selina who took it without hesitation.  
  
Legolas gasped in surprise, unable to believe his eyes. Was she really going to kill this man in order to save his life? "Melamin, what are you doing?" he cried out in horror. "I am doing what is necessary." she replied and looked at him in astonishment. Selina couldn't understand why he opposed to what she intended to do, she was after all just acting out nature's will. The weak and small had to perish in order to ensure the survival of the stronger ones.  
  
Legolas's eyes widened in horror when her arm raised and the deadly blade of the dagger shot down, aiming directly at the man's heart, but before it could reach its destination, it was stopped only mere inches from it. The slave let out a relieved sigh and sweat ran down his fore head.  
  
Selina looked at the huge hand that had tightened around her wrist, her face completely blank. "How sweet of you, sister! I'm sure pretty boy will love you even more for that." Tulrah said, his voice full of sarcasm. He took the weapon out of her hand and loosened his grip on her arm. "As much as I esteem the finer points of cold blooded murder, this little worm is actually quite useful and torturing him daily has become a little guilty pleasure of mine. So I hope you will excuse my intervention."  
  
Legolas still starred Selina in horror. What had happened to her? He had come know her as a person full of life and passion. Whenever she was angry the air around her crackled, when she was sad the sun seemed to shine less bright than usual and when she was happy her smile light up the room. This person in front of him had nothing in common with the woman he loved, except her outward appearance. He saw something sparkle in her eyes that terrified him to the bone. Their golden depths bore no more human emotions, only the untamed fire of the most basic instincts every being possessed.  
  
"What did you do to her?" he asked Tulrah with cold anger in his voice. "Apart from torturing her? Well, nothing. This wonderful change came up on its own, when she tried to save you. " Tulrah answered him with a vicious smirk on his face. "Maybe this is who she really is and the person you have loved was nothing but a mask she wore to deceive you. But what do I know." He did not only enjoy using physical cruelty, but mental torture was also something he esteemed greatly, as its effects were far more devastating. If he was lucky the elf, would be consumed by the guilt of being responsible for his lover's downfall and die of a broken heart.  
  
Legolas frowned his forehead. She had used her powers in order to rescue him from being slaughtered by those wild beasts. He remembered their conversation at the campfire a few days ago and couldn't help but feel guilty. He was the responsible for her using her powers in the first place and the fact that she was now controlled entirely by them. Maybe he could help her remember who she was, awake the old Selina again. He would not give up on her, because if he did, everything would be lost. He would fight for her - for them - as long as he could.  
  
"Are you thinking about my words, elf?" Tulrah asked, having noticed the contemplative look on the Legolas's face. "On the upside she has at least managed to keep my interest in both of you, so I will let you live for a little longer. Who knows maybe she will prove herself to be useful." The warlord shrugged his shoulders casually. "If not I will have something to entertain myself with, watching the two of you picking up the scattered pieces of your relationship without any success." He turned his back on them and began to stroll away, calling over his shoulder "Lock the two of them up together and send the slave back to work!"  
  
~  
  
Legolas sat there in the dark, starring into the grey twilight that surrounded him. A few meters from him Selina was sitting completely motionless. She had been this way since they had been shoved into a wagon that was constructed as a cell on wheels. There was a tiny window, that allowed the prisoners to look out, but the opening was so small that it was barely able to let in fresh air. The rest of their prison was made of solid wood and there was no possibility to escape, as Legolas noted dejectedly. The wagon was dark, warm and sticky. In short - everything the elf hated.  
  
"Selina." he called out softly. She didn't react, still sitting there unmovingly. "Selina!" The Selvadage'tok woman showed neither any sign that she understood nor any reaction at all. He crawled over to her and softly touched her on the shoulder. When her emotionless eyes met his in the darkness, a shiver ran down his spine.  
  
"Are you well? Do any of your wounds require attention?" he asked trying to get any response from her.  
  
"No need to worry. This body is strong and healthy." came her answer.  
  
"You speak as if this body wasn't your own." he stated, trying to get more information out of her.  
  
"It has always been mine, but now I am the one in control and maybe it is for the better." Selina's cold voice answered.  
  
"What's your name?" "What do names matter to you, Eldar? Names are just words, made up by those, weak in mind, to label the things around them. They are making up definitions without understanding the concept of the things that surround them. As a consequence their name creations are as unfit for the objects they describe as their intellect is to grasp the reality of this world in which they live."  
  
At those words a shiver ran through Legoals's body "What did you do to Selina?"  
  
"Nothing. She is still in here, but now her voice is only as weak as the whisper of the wind. It only raised one time with all its might, when it screamed at me to save you. It was a scream that came out of the inner depths of her soul and every viper in her being begged me to do it. I am not a cruel master, so I granted her this wish."  
  
"You are nature."  
  
The being that had occupied Selina's body let out an amused laugh. "No, but I'm one of its most powerful spirits. I'm wondering how come you didn't recognise me, Legolas Greenleaf, after all you literally starred me in the face for years and years, watching the forest grow or enjoying the cool night air."  
  
"Why are you still controlling her body?"  
  
"Because it seems that you can't handle this situation alone. Your judgement and your actions are misguided. You have forgotten the most basic objective of all."  
  
"And that would be?"  
  
"You have forgotten how to survive and you will not be able to, if you, who are weak, oppose those much stronger than you. You will perish if you don't unite with Tulrah!"  
  
"But he is evil!"  
  
"We cannot afford to waste our time on sentimentalities. I does not matter if he is good or evil. What matters is the outcome, not the means with which we achieve our goal. If you will join him, many lives will be saved in the long run."  
  
"I am truly astonished how you could forget that your future ally has left a trail of destruction behind himself on his way towards Gondor. What do you think he will do when he gets his hands on the eye staff?"  
  
Selina squinted her eyes together. "I will wait and observe. Only time will tell." She said finally.  
  
~  
  
Gimli sighed and closed his tired eyes for a second. In the last hours he had been forced to witness helplessly as his friends had been captured, tortured and almost killed. His fiery temper had flared repeatedly and he had often been just seconds away from running down the hill with his axe, ready to strike down a whole army in order to save his friends. But the damned panther had always blocked his way and kept him from doing anything foolish, baring its sharp fangs threateningly and hissing dangerously. The dwarf had cursed angrily at the beast, but Sulrathi appeared totally unimpressed by his wrath.  
  
After several minutes and many vain attempts to outsmart the panther, he had finally calmed down considerably and come to his senses. If he ran down the hill and was killed or captured in the process, he wouldn't be of any use, he realised. His axe was thirsty for blood, but the panther wouldn't let him have his way. So he had to do as he was told and try to find Aragorn. With an army at his back he would be able to give into his unspeakable rage, without fearing the consequences. Then he would show those scoundrels why it wasn't wise to threaten the friends of a dwarf. He grimly nodded to Sulrathi and hurried to find Aragorn and Gandalf, running towards the direction of Gondor with the black beast right on toe. 


	22. Two sides

Chapter 22: Two sides  
  
Outside the trampling of many horses could be heard. While the army continued its way, the wagon rocked in a monotonous rhythm, driving on and on towards Minas-Tirith. Suddenly it came to a stop.  
  
The door of their cell was ripped open forcefully by strong hands and a bright stripe of light invaded the darkness of their prison. For a brief second Legolas thought about trying to beat down the guard, but he realized that even if he and Selina escaped this dark and sticky wagon, there was still a whole army between them and freedom. Besides, who knew whether this being that occupied her body would consent to his escape plans. He looked expectantly at the Orc that stood there in the shine of broad daylight that illuminated his ugly features clearly.  
  
"You!" he pointed at Selina, who sat there totally unimpressed by his entrance. "You! Come with me!" the creature growled.  
  
Selina raised to her feet and nodded at Legolas as a greeting before she stepped out of their prison. The bright light caused tears to run down her cheeks which dripped down her emotionless face as drops of water from a stone. She did not even blink, though her eyes were not used to daylight.  
  
She was let to a group of men riding high on their horses in front of the army. Clothed in a shining armour, Tulrah rode among them, his head held high. He stopped when he saw Selina and his minion approach.  
  
"Nothing like fresh air and good weather! Don't you think so?" She looked at him in silence. "Still as talkative as two days ago." he sighed. "Get her a horse! I want to talk to her for a while." Tulrah ordered and after Selina had mounted her horse he continued. "Tell me.. what is it that I should call you these days, obviously my sister's spirit has left this body. What are you?"  
  
"Who or what I am is of no concern to you. Only that I am a potential and mighty ally." she answered flatly.  
  
"I don't like cryptic answers." he played with the hilt of his sword and his red eyes sparkled dangerously.  
  
Selina raised an eyebrow and answered dryly. "If you ask the right questions there will be none. As I said I can prove myself quite usefuly, so it would be unwise to harm this body."  
  
Tulrah gritted his teeth angrily , trying to suppress his urge to skewer her with his weapon immediately.  
  
"What is your plan?" she asked with an emotionless voice.  
  
"Why should I tell you?"  
  
"It might influence my decision in your favour."  
  
The warlord contemplated his next move for a few seconds in silence. Then he spoke again. "What is every plan about? Creating an advantage for yourself, it's as simple as that. Ever heard of the Eye Staff of Shalakrah? Lets just say this little assessor will take care of that. In the right hands, that would be mine, it guarantees absolute power."  
  
"What is it that you want to do with this power?"  
  
He shrugged his shoulders and a feral smile spread over his face. "What everybody dreams of in secret. I want to change this world according to my ideas.  
  
Are we to listen eternally to the advises of those arrogant elves who think they are some much better than the rest of Middle-Earth? Should we bend our knees to the frail human kings? I say no.  
  
Who says that their narrow minded point of view is necessarily the right one. Their world is divided into two halves: good and evil. They only see black and white.  
  
But in reality their conception of moral is just plain and simple hypocrisy. Why, you might ask. Well, what you define as good or evil is always subject to your own personal perspective. If millions die for a noble and honourable cause it is called heroic, even admirable. You will hear the highest praises everywhere. If I kill a few hundred to nourish my army which is going to help me change this godforsaken earth for the better, everybody cries out that I'm evil. Why is it evil to take what you want, to desire happiness? I say it's high time that we also get our piece of the cake. No more rules, no more restrictions, so that we are free to do whatever we want to. Too long have we hid, now it is our time to stand in the light."  
  
The being that inhabited Selina's body looked at Tulrah unblinkingly and thought about those words it had just heard with great interest, yet it was not able to decide which side it would choose.  
  
"So what do you say?" Tulrah asked impatiently after a short while.  
  
"You are a man with a vision and know how to win over new followers with the power of your mere words. You might very well go out of this conflict as its winner.." The warlords chest seemed to swell with pride with each word from her mouth and he smiled arrogantly. "...,but I do not let myself be fooled by what you say. I am not as simple minded as your minions. Your actions are far more important to me than the facade you created for me so skilfully. I will wait and keep a close eye on you."  
  
"Why, you little witch!! I could just rip you apart with my claws! Be careful what you say!" Tulrah growled, his eyes flaring with anger. "You obviously have no idea who you're talking to! I control every beast that flies, crawls or walks in these parts of the land. Do you want to see a little demonstration of my powers?"  
  
The woman's emotionless face just starred at him unblinkingly. "I take that as a yes." he hissed through his clenched teeth. He would teach her some manners.  
  
He looked at the horse she was riding on, a noble creature, its black hair shimmering healthily in the afternoon sun. With ease he intensified his mental grip on the horse and took control of it. He was in its blood, a red current that lead to the pumping source of life, the centre of its body. His anger was the heat that led the horse's blood boil, causing it to cry out in pain. Suddenly all power was drained from the creature, it collapsed on all fours, throwing off its rider in the process. Selina came to her feet and looked questioningly at Tulrah. The warlord extended his arm, his palm opened wide.  
  
"In this hand lies the life of this horse, its heart. As I close my fingers around it, its beating gets slower and slower." The poor creature squirmed suffering incredible pain, giving away pitiful whimpering sounds.  
  
"End this now!" Selina's voice cut the air like a sharp blade. Tulrah smiled at her closing his hand ever so slowly and ending the horse's suffering.  
  
The essence that possessed the Selvadage'tok woman's body was fuming with pure rage. It was a force that was responsible for preserving and creating life. This man, this vicious beast, had just taken a life that was connected with mother earth. He had killed just for pleasure, which was the most disgusting motive the being inside of Selina could imagine.  
  
Undoubtedly nature is also a murderer, but it never kills without a justified reason. Out of the ashes of every dead being rises a new life like a phoenix. The freshly born creation might not always be beautiful, but it always serves particular purpose, starting with the smallest worm and ending with the most noble creatures imaginable.  
  
"Now that you know who you are dealing with, you can go back to your little prison and hopefully make the right decision." Tulrah said at her and looked down on her with an arrogant smile on his face.  
  
~  
  
Night had set in and the two captives inside the wagon were sleeping soundly. Selina was curled up on the hard wood blanks, her arms and legs moving incessantly in her sleep. She was dreaming.  
  
She was running through a forest that was filled with life and beauty. Selina got so caught up with marvelling at her surroundings that she lost her way. Yet the strangest thing was, that she didn't even care about it. Everything was peaceful and she felt protected. The fact that she didn't even know where she was didn't even inspire insecurity or fear in her. She was lost and didn't want to be found.  
  
Selina roamed the forest, exploring every inch of it curiously. At each wonderful, new thing she discovered her eyes shone for joy. The sun was shining brightly and several of its golden rays broke the tree crowns. They hit the dewy grass and let the little droplets of water sitting there, shimmer like diamonds. The air was fresh and clear and the peaceful silence of the forest was only broken occasionally by the voices of the animals who lived in it. Birds were singing high up in the branches of a pine, squirrels were jumping happily from tree to tree and a fox was sneaking through the coppice hunting for conies.  
  
The young Selvadage'tok's feet flew soundlessly over the grassy floor, never getting tired, carrying her deeper and deeper into the unknown forest. She leaped gracefully over a withered tree trunk that lay on the ground blocking her way and suddenly stood on a clearing. The sight was breath taking. The clearing was flooded with light and a meadow of wildflowers covered the forest floor. The blossoms emitted a sweet, intoxicating smell, coaxing her to rest and enjoy the wonders of this beautiful place for a while. She lay down on the soft grass and looked up at the blue sky. Several white clouds passed slowly by over her head like a flock of sheep.  
  
A breeze swept over the meadow and the blades of grass rocked restlessly from side to side. Suddenly the light seemed to get brighter, almost to an extent that it was unbearable. Selina squinted her eyes together and shielded them with the palm of her hand against the rays of sun. A soft whisper reached her ears that got clearer with each passing second. The wind carried a voice, warm and soothing, yet full of wisdom.  
  
"Choose!" it murmured in her ears.  
  
"Choose what?" she screamed.  
  
"A side." The cryptic response came.  
  
"Who are you?" Selina searched her surroundings nervously with her eyes. "Show yourself!"  
  
After a few moments of silence a figure emerged from the tree line. Selina rubbed her eyes in astonishment. It couldn't be! Her eyes were playing a trick on her and yet she could make out the person's face clearly. It was the old shaman that had been Tulrah's first victim. The old woman stopped a few meters from her and looked at her with a gentle smile on her face.  
  
"Akanti, it can't be you! You are..." Her voice trailed of.  
  
The old woman let out a warm laugh, "I am not Akanti. I had to take this form, because if I appeared in front of you as I really am, your mind would break at the mere sight of me, unable to understand what it sees."  
  
"What are you?"  
  
"Always the same question." The being smiled. "I am the power that floats through every living thing. I am this forest and every creature in it. I am the one who gave you your powers and took control over your body."  
  
"But I am still in control." Selina protested.  
  
"No, my child, you are not. What is the last thing you remember?"  
  
Suddenly images flashed before her eyes. Legolas standing in the middle of an arena, the cheering crowd, the boars, then the energy that rushed into her body, washing away her own will in the process.  
  
"What happened? How did I come here, to this place?" Selina asked hesitantly.  
  
"I did not want to harm you. I created an environment in which you would feel at ease as long as I controlled your body."  
  
"What do you want from me?"  
  
"I came to ask you for advise."  
  
Selina through back her head and let out a rich laugh. The thought that a super being approached her to ask for her advise was simply too ridiculous.  
  
"May I ask what is so funny?" the old woman asked her eyes narrowed to tiny slits.  
  
"Nothing!" Selina said quickly, but grinned like a Cheshire Cat doing so.  
  
"We share the same memories. Concentrate and remember what you saw last!" the being said impatiently.  
  
Selina did as she was told and the whole conversation with Tulrah surfaced from the depths of her mind, accompanied by the memories of him torturing the horse mercilessly. An angry growl escaped her lips.  
  
"I see you remember now."  
  
"Yes, indeed. How can you even think about joining his side?"  
  
"Well, for one it looks highly promising. What do you have to offer me?"  
  
"What do I have to offer you?" Selina's voice raised a pitch in anger. "I have to offer you the perseverance of a culture that respects nature. The elves have been living for millennia in harmony with nature and the humans only take what they need to survive. Do you honestly think that Tulrah will shy away from killing and destroying everything that passes his way, just like he did with this poor creature the other day? We have to get rid of him as fast as possible or he will be our doom! Give me back the control over my body and I will do everything that stands in my power to stop him."  
  
"Your powers are very limit."  
  
"Don't underestimate what you can accomplish when you set your mind to it." Selina responded and crossed her arms over her chest determinedly.  
  
The being bowed its head and closed its eyes in concentration. It considered the arguments of both sides, carefully thinking about everything that had been said. After all its decision would seal the fate of a whole planet. After a few minutes that it had passed in a constant dialogue with itself, arguing about the various advantage and disadvantages every side had, it was ready to announce its decision.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you again, my lovely reviewers! *does happy dance* I realize this is some evil cliffhanger again, but I will update tomorrow :) Bye and take care! 


	23. Decisions and consequences

Chapter 23: Decisions and consequences  
  
Aragorn was riding in front of his army, several hundred well trained soldiers mixed with civilians that had been hastily called to arms after his arrival at Minas-Tirith. The city had been seized by busy activity and he had barely had any time to see his beloved wife, having to attend to his kingly duties. The time until their departure was filled with strategic discussions with the highest ranking officers of his army and organizing supplies for their mission.  
  
Now the army of Gondor rode against a foe that was almost as dangerous and vicious as Sauron had been. Aragorn's forehead was frowned and his gaze was roaming restlessly over the land that lay ahead of them. By this time Selina and Legolas must have already infiltrated the enemy's camp and he prayed to the Valar that their mission had been rewarded with success. But somehow, he couldn't keep from worrying what could have happened if they had failed.  
  
Gandalf road up to the king and threw him a sympathetic look. "Don't let your heart be burdened by worries! They will be alright." Aragorn shook his head, indicating that he didn't want to dwell on this suspect. "What do you think...When will we encounter the enemy?" The wizard wrinkled his brow. "I think one day, maybe less.."  
  
Aragorn nodded, then his eyes narrowed as he spotted something in the distance. It looked like two black dots, maybe it was two people, he couldn't tell for sure. They were moving slowly in their direction. He motioned Gandalf and five of the soldiers that rode next to them, to accompany them to find out who those travellers might be. Their horses sped quickly over the plain, fired by the curiosity of their riders.  
  
As the got closer Aragorn was able to recognize the unusual pair. It was Sulrathi and Gimli. The dwarf was breathing heavily and sweat was running down his forehead. He leaned on his axe trying to catch some air. "Aragorn! Gandalf!" he exclaimed between heavy breaths, when the riders arrived at their side. Sulrathi greeted them with a with a friendly growl and lay down on the ground from where she could observe everything clearly. Aragorn dismounted his horse and was quickly at his friends side. "Gimli, what news do you bring us! How are Legolas and Selina? What happened?"  
  
"One question...at a time." The dwarf managed to get out in between gasping for air. "I have been running for almost two days."  
  
After a few minute, filled with restlessness and unbearable tension, Gimli was finally able to tell his tale. "We found Tulrah's army a few days ago and everything went as planned until Selina and Legolas got captured by this monster." The dwarf's voice was filled with barely contained anger. "He tortured them and the last I saw was that he had them locked up in a prison wagon and took them with him. I couldn't do anything, because that damned beast", he pointed at the she- panther "wouldn't let me!"  
  
"You were lucky at least on of you had enough sense not to attack an entire army, my friend." Gandalf said and the she-panther nuzzled his hand, purring contently.  
  
The dwarf let out an annoyed huff. "Aragorn, we have to act quickly there is no telling what that Tulrah might do to them in the mean time!"  
  
The king of Gondor had a concerned look on his face, hearing what the dwarf had to say. He nodded in agreement and they quickly mounted their horses, taking Gimli and Sulrathi with them, riding towards a battle whose outcome was uncertain.  
  
~  
  
"Well, what is your decision?" Tulrah asked, eying his sister impatiently. He was sitting comfortably in his armchair, in his right hand a goblet with wine, the other one playing casually with a dagger. Torches were flickering everywhere, bathing the tent into warm light.  
  
"I choose the side of the winner. I choose you side, my master." Selina bowed her knee to him and he smiled contently from cheek to cheek.  
  
"I hoped that you would decide this way, Selina. After all it is not right for sister and brother to fight each other, isn't it?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Selina and the being that had taken Akanti's form were still standing on the meadow. The young Selvadage'tok woman was slowly getting impatient. Endless minutes had passed, during which the super being had just stood there motionless and contemplated its decision in silence. She cleared her throat and was just about to voice her anger, when Akanti rose her head and spoke, "I'm ready to announce my decision."  
  
"Thank the Valar!" She muttered under her breath and managed to put on a fake smile.  
  
"I will give you back control over your body, so that you can fight against Tulrah."  
  
Selina was baffled. "Why this sudden change of mind? I thought that you would choose his side."  
  
The old woman smiled. "It is true I was tempted to do so for a while. But now that I saw, that he does not even respect his own origins," she emphasized those words with disgust in her voice, "that he desecrates and destroys the artful creations of mother nature out of pleasure, I realize that he must be stopped. You have served me well and I feel that I can trust you, even so far that I will allow you to use my powers for as long as necessary."  
  
Selina bowed her head. "I'm honoured and I hope that I won't disappoint you."  
  
The being stepped closer and raised the young woman's chin with her hand. "To win against him you will have to be as cunning as the fox and as fierce as the lion. I will be with you child and protect you, but even I cannot interfere with what fate has planned out for you."  
  
"I know." Selina answered simply.  
  
The old woman smiled at her mysteriously. "Now listen to me! There is only one way to defeat him. You will have to pretent that you are willing to join his side and when the right moment comes you must strike."  
  
Selina nodded grimly. Akanti stepped closer and placed a kiss on her forehead. "May the Valar protect you and your loved ones, my child! Do not fear, because I will always be with you."  
  
Then the old woman turned and slowly walked back to the forest. Her white robe brushed over the blades of grass and she seemed to hover over the ground. Selina followed her with her eyes until she was only a white blur in the midst of the green of the forest.  
  
Suddenly the bright rays of sun seemed to intensify and hit her eyes angrily. She had to blinked rapidly. One minute she was standing in the middle of flowery meadow on a clearing flooded by broad daylight and then, when she opened her eyes again, she was greeted by the harsh reality of the sight of her prison.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~End of flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I'm glad you finally made up your mind. We were kind of running out of time after all." Tulrah added.  
  
Selina cocked her head and looked at him questioningly. "We are going to leave tomorrow morning together with a few of my men. Your ...friends," he spat out the last word, "are getting closer. This afternoon a little bird sang to me that an army from Minas-Tirith was coming closer to our position. I intend to be on my way before they arrive here. I assume that they left their city behind in a haste and that it is now defenceless and ready for the taking. After all they will need all their soldiers in the battle against my army. Well, in the meantime we will go and fetch the eye staff. When we have it nothing else matters anymore. I will finally have absolute power."  
  
She nodded silently and tried to suppress the violent feeling of disgust rising inside of her.  
  
"There is just one question left unanswered. What will we do with the elf? We have to take care of that problem before we leave." Tulrah said to her, looking at her expectantly.  
  
Selina knew that this was the last test she had to pass in order to win his trust. Everything depended on the way she answered this one question. "Well, I already have an idea about that," she said slowly. With gesture of his hand he motioned her to continue. "You will like this. You know that elves can die of a broken heart? I heard that it is a slow and very painful process. They wither away like flowers that are deprived of daylight and water. They gradually die from the inside until there is nothing left of them but an empty shell, a pitiful shadow of the grace and beauty they presented in their prime. And I intend to make my lover's passing very painful, rest assured." It took all her strength to utter those words and it pained her greatly to do so, but there was no other choice, because it was necessary.  
  
Tulrah nodded contently and a cruel smile spread over his face. Not only was his sister joining his side out of her own free will, but she was also promising him a delightful spectacle. The pleasant shiver of anticipation ran down his spine when he thought about her plan.  
  
~  
  
They stood outside the wagon that had served as Selina and Leogolas prison for several days. Tulrah was still grinning from ear to ear, but she could feel nothing but disgust. Disgust for herself, because of what she was about to do and disgust for her brother who took pleasure in seeing others suffer.  
  
"What are you waiting for?" Tulrah motioned her to enter. She nodded quickly and stepped through the wooden door into the darkness of the cell. A clicking noise could be heard as the door was closed behind her and she stood there engulfed in darkness. She closed her eyes for a second, preparing herself for the conversation that was about to follow. Selina knew that she had to be convincing, because her brother would listen carefully to every single word that would be uttered inside the cell.  
  
She took a step that brought her closer to the sitting figure of Legolas and the wooden tile under her feet let out a loud creaking sound. His head shot up and she could see his eyes sparkle in the dark. Then he quickly turned away again. She sat down in front of him, her back to the window, her legs crossed. They were only inches apart, so that he only would have had to reach out in order to touch her. Legolas leant back against the wall and looked at her, his face calm and unreadable. "What do you want from me?" he asked in a tranquil voice.  
  
"Why don't you tell me, lover." She said coldly.  
  
He squinted his eyes together. Something had changed about her behaviour since yesterday night, he couldn't quite put his finger on. "I suppose you came to tell me, that you made a deal with this vicious beast. That you chose his side over the one of good," he added.  
  
"Thank you, for reminding my why I prefer older man. They always seem to know the answer to everything." She answered in a sarcastic tone.  
  
At this he could help but remember shreds of a conversation they had had earlier, during happier times: 'I knew there was a reason why I prefer older men!' 'Well, then you should know that I don't love you because of your good looks!' her voice echoed in his ears. Suddenly realization hid him with force of a ton of bricks. The person sitting in front of him was no longer controlled by another being. It had to be Selina herself. How else could she remember all those things? There was no way the spirit could have known about their past conversations. His eyes widened in astonishment.  
  
Then another thought hit him. Could it be that she was only acting out this talk, because she had a certain plan? Maybe she was trying to fool the enemy into trusting her by those actions?  
  
Selina noticed different emotions wash over his face, wonder, relief, confusion and hope. She quickly shook her head to keep him from saying something that would betray them and motioned with her eyes in the direction of the door, indicating that somebody was overhearing their conversation.  
  
"Well, you will be happy to know that you were right. I did join Tulrah's cause. I think I won't regret it, but you, my dearest darling, will be on the loosing side, I fear and I don't like losers. In fact I hate them." She paused briefly speaking the next sentence in elvish, knowing fully well that Tulrah wouldn't understand any of it, "Amin mela lle /I love you/, Legolas. I hate you! Did you hear me? I hate you!"  
  
Had she just told him she loved him, he wondered briefly. His eyes looked at her questioningly and she nodded in response, then she continued, but her words, though the were harsh and brutal, had lost their sting to him, because he knew that she did only say them out of necessity, "This thing we had, it was nothing but a brief affair. It's over now! Yes, you are pretty to look at, but lets face it, you lack the fire, the ambition that I look for in a man. I couldn't love you, never! You are weak and pathetic! Your immortal life wouldn't be long enough to hear those words come from my mouth. I'll tell you again. Amin mela lle!" she shouted out the last words and an ironic smile played around her mouth.  
  
She placed her hand over his heart and looked him deep in the eye, her gaze filled with love, while her mouth spoke heartless and cold words. "If I could I would rip out your heart with my bare hands, but unfortunately this gift hasn't been given to me so I have to content myself with words, but they can be just as deadly to you, I guess."  
  
His hand shot up to touch hers and for a second his fingers caressed hers, before he shook her hand off in a seemingly angry gesture. His tender touch was so brief that it could easily have passed anybody else by, but to them it meant everything. It meant that he understood her plan and forgave her for the things she said.  
  
"So I will leave you here in your prison in which you will slowly rot to death, while we will be holding the ultimate power in your hands. I have to leave you now. I have an important mission expecting me, so don't wait on me, lover." 


	24. Battle cries

Chapter 24: Battle cries  
  
The next day Selina and Tulrah departed for Minas-Tirith with about hundred soldiers, some of the most skilled human fighters Tulrah's army had to offer. The quickest horses and the best weapons had been picked out for them. Now the landscape was literally flying past them as they sped towards their destination. Time was essential, as the swiftness of their actions would decide over victory or defeat.  
  
Tulrah's behaviour towards her had changed considerably. He had been highly pleased by the conversation between Legolas and her, praising her repeatedly for her cruel words. Though he still kept a close eye on her, he seemed to respect her now and treated her as an equal. It took all her strength and restraint to keep up the illusion that she was on his side and could be trusted. She had to pay attention not let any of her true emotions show and often speak words for which she despised herself.  
  
She knew that difficult days were lying ahead of her, but her mind always wandered back to Legolas. Selina prayed silently to the Valar that they would protect him in the coming battle between Tulrah's men and the army of Gondor.  
  
~  
  
Aragorn and Gandalf sat on their horse overlooking the valley below them from the top of a soft hill. Hundreds of men, Orcs and Uruk-hai were making their way through those lands, uncountable black dots alive with activity like an ant trail. The king of Gondor exhaled heavily. Now was the time to strike, the inevitable could no longer be postponed. He raised his hand to give the sign to attack, sealing the fate of many men. Men that had left behind their families and would now probably die in battle, never to return to their children and wives. As bleak as the prospective of the impending battle appeared, at least they had the element of surprise on their side, as the army hid behind the other side of the hill, waiting for his command.  
  
He looked into the grim faces of his friends, the remains of the company of hunters that had set out to destroy Tulrah and his army. Gandalf, the most powerful wizard of all times, Gimli the stubborn dwarf, the only one of his kind to carry the title elf-friend and Sulrathi, the totem animal that possessed mystical powers. Their expressions and their grim determination burned forever into his mind.  
  
He nodded at them and then slowly lowered his hand. On his command the men set in motion like a gigantic wave, washing down over the slope. The army of Gondor sped down the hill towards the enemy. The soldiers encouraging each other with loud battle cries, their armours and weapons clattering loudly.  
  
For a moment Tulrah's army froze in motion and all heads whipped around in the direction of the hill. Soldiers poured down from it like the stream of river. In front of them rode an old man, clothed in a white robe that shone brightly in the light and next to him the regal looking, broad shouldered commander of this army. Both terrifying to behold and dangerous in their rage. The Orcs bared their sharp teeth and the Uruk-hais let out loud cries, drooling over the possibility to satisfy their constant desire for blood spilling and violence.  
  
A loud crash could be heard, as the two armies collided. The sound of steel meeting steel, of blades cutting through flesh mixed with death cries. The battle had begun. Survival was only a matter of luck and skill in this raging sea of sword blows and attackers, where every wrong move meant death.  
  
For Aragorn the first moments of the battle passed like in a red haze, hacking and slicing his way through the seemingly incessant wave of attackers. He swung his sword like a scythe, the hidious foes around him, falling like spikes in a field of barley. In his universe everything else faded to gray, as his only thought was to kill the enemy in order to ensure his own survival. Slice, pierce, slash. A body dropped at his feet. Somewhere in the process his horse was wounded by the lance of an Orc, he dimly noted, and he had to continue fight by feet. After a few moments - he couldn't say how much time had passed, because he lost track of it in the heat of the battle - the number of attackers finally thinned.  
  
He registered a white blur from the corner of his eye. Gandalf was sitting high up on Shadowfax, striking down his attackers with incredible ease, as if they were nothing but clumsy children storming at him with wooden swords instead of with deadly steel. It was in moments like those when Aragorn remembered that his friend was not merely a wise and good-humoured old man, but one of the mightiest wizards of Middle-Earth.  
  
"Aragorn!" he heard a cry from behind and immediately whipped around, striking down an attacking Uruk-hai in the process. Gimli was approaching him through the chaos of the battle, cutting his way through attackers that blocked his way with his axe. Finally the dwarf was standing before him, covered with blood and dirt and breathing heavily from the exertion of the fight.  
  
"Aragorn, we have to get to Legolas and Selina! They hold them captive in a prison wagon," the dwarf informed him hastily.  
  
He nodded quickly at his friend and the started searching for the wagon Gimli had described to him in the midst of the turmoil of the battle. Several enemies were blocking their way in the process and they were often involved in brief fights before they could continue their way.  
  
The ground was already covered with the corpses of men, Orcs and Uruk-hai. The blood of the fallen formed puddles and mixed, for in death all differences between them had disappeared. Friend and foe lay next to each other, slain and dead, victims of this angry battle.  
  
Gimli and Aragorn finally spotted the prison wagon. It was heavily guarded by several particularly nasty looking Uruk-hais and humans.  
  
"What do you say, Master Aragorn? Who might be the ugliest one of those creatures?" the dwarf asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
The heads of the guards whipped around in unison and an angry snarl escaped their throats.  
  
"Well, I really can't decide. But I suppose they all will be pleased if we kill them and thereby relieve them from the burden of such disgusting faces."  
  
The creatures let out angry screams and ran at them with their swords ready to strike. The first attackers fell under their weapons as quickly as a ripe apple from a tree. The other guards hesitated briefly and chose to be more careful than their predecessors. Nevertheless the fight was short, as they could not withhold the combined rage of the Aragorn and Gimli. "This will teach you never to lay hands on the friend's of a dwarf again, you bastards!" the dwarf screamed and dealt a deadly blow of his axe to the last standing Uruk-hai.  
  
When they arrived at the door of the wagon the were stopped by one last obstacle. It was effectively closed by a heavy lock. "Step back!" Gimli announced and after a mighty blow of his axe the lock was no more.  
  
Aragorn quickly opened the door and stepped inside, Gimli right on toe. Before his eyes could adjust to the darkness, he was hit by a strong kick in the chest that took the wind out of his sails and sent him flying backwards out of the wagon, taking the dwarf with him in his fall. "Aragorn! Gimli! I am sorry, I thought it was the guards that were trying to take me !" he heard Legolas's voice exclaim seconds later and then a pair of strong hands help him and the dwarf to their feet again.  
  
Aragorn looked at his elvish friend and noticed several already healing cuts and bruises on his face. His clothes were dirty and stained with his own blood. Legolas was blinking rapidly, his eyes slowly adapting to broad daylights, after days spent in the darkness of his prison.  
  
"We have to leave immediately!" the elf announced before his friends could say anything.  
  
"What kind of greeting is that, Master Elf?" Gimli exclaimed with a frown on his face. "We've just saved your life. A 'thank you' would be appropriate right now." He crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly.  
  
"Thank you very much, both of you. But Selina is in danger and we have to hurry if we want to save her and Minas-Tirith," Legolas replied patiently, picking up one of the swords of the slain guards, while he did so. "Tulrah and a few hundred of his men have separated from the main army and are riding towards your city, Aragorn. He wants to take the eye staff and with it ultimate power. Selina pretended to be on his side in order to win his trust and overwhelm him later when he doesn't suspect anything," he explained hastily his eyes searching the battlefield nervously.  
  
Aragorn touched his friend's arm and looked at him with a grim expression on his face. "Legolas, I am the king of Gondor now! I can't just leave my soldiers in the middle of a battle to go on a rescue mission, though I also fear for my city and my beloved wife."  
  
For a brief second rage flashed in Legolas's eyes, but as quickly as it had come it disappeared again. The elf nodded in understanding, "Then I better be on my way and take care that our loved ones are save."  
  
Aragorn nodded and deep felt gratitude was ringing in his voice when he said, "Thank you, my friend."  
  
"Take care, Master Elf!", Gimli said in a friendly tone.  
  
Legolas smiled briefly at his friends and quickly run over the battle field to search for an ownerless horse that would carry him all the way to Minas- Tirith. After a few minutes he discovered a brown horse, walking aimlessly over the battleground that was covered with blood and bodies. He swiftly mounted the horse and through on last glance back at his friends.  
  
Suddenly he heard a loud growl and looked down. At the feet of his horse sat Sulrathi, her black fur shimmering in the sun and her claws and fangs covered with the blood of the enemy. "I suppose you want to save her as well, my friend. Then lets hurry!", he said to the she-panther and they both took off speedily in the direction of Minas-Tirith. 


	25. Masquerade

Chapter 25: Masquerade  
  
It was night when Tulrah and his little army arrived at Minas-Tirith. They had managed to stay undetected in the shelter of the darkness. A few miles before they got into the closer range of the citadel they had got rid of their horses and were now moving soundlessly closer to their destination, their dark-grey cloaks blending perfectly with their surroundings, making them almost invisible.  
  
Selina looked at the city in wonder, because she had never seen such an amazing thing in all her life. The citadel was protected by long circular walls and a large gate that left absolutely no possibility for their comparatively small number of men to enter this fortress. A mighty army would have been necessary to dare an attack or even think of invading this stronghold, everything other would have been suicide. The gates of Minas-Tirith were guarded by a few watchmen that wore the insignia of the White Tower, walking back and forth under the flickering light of various torches.  
  
"How are you going to conquer this fortress, Tulrah?" she asked her brother with a bemused expression on her face.  
  
"Don't you rack your brains about it! I already have it all planned out.", he smiled at her confidently. "The men we have with us are just here to create a little diversion. When all the attention is directed on them, we will sneak in and get what we came for."  
  
"Unless you can transform into a gecko, I don't see how you will be able to climb those walls," she said dryly.  
  
"We will get in easily and you will help me!" Tulrah hissed at her, shutting her up effectively, his eyes sparkling eerily in the darkness.  
  
~  
  
The guardsman squinted his eyes together and watched the two approaching figures with open suspicion in his gaze. The were walking slowly, almost slouching. Their faces and bodies were entirely hidden by the huge cloaks they wore. One of them was more slender and smaller than the other, perhaps a woman or a child, while the other was limping and leaned on its companion for support.  
  
"Just so you know, I will cut your throat immediately if you even do so much as think about trying any of your little tricks. Is that understood?" Tulrah hissed under his breath to Selina as the slowly got closer to the gate.  
  
"Of course, master. I'm on your side, remember?" she answered in a hushed voice and without hesitation.  
  
They continued walking the last steps in silence. Selina's heart was pounding frenetically inside her chest. This was the opportunity she had waiting for all of the time. The tiniest word from her would have sufficed to destroy Tulrah's plans. The only thing that kept her from trying to betray him was the sharp blade of his dagger that was pressed to her side, an effective reminded of his power over her and that he could kill her any time he wanted. So she had to play along for now and wait until the next opportunity presented itself.  
  
"Who are you and what do you want?" the guardsman asked with a commanding voice.  
  
"My name Celia," she lied and indicated the hooded figure next to her, "And this is my father Sedrig. We require the assistance of Minas-Tirith's excellent healers, for we both suffer from a terrible sickness."  
  
"Why don't you show your faces?" the soldier asked his eyes narrowed to tiny slits.  
  
"The reason why we are clothed this way is, that if we so much as touch anybody we will infect him. Our bodies have been disfigured by the symptoms of the disease and we want to spare the world from the horror of our deformed faces."  
  
The guardsman unconsciously took a step back, his eyes darting nervously between the two cloaked figures.  
  
"Those are dangerous times. I don't know whether it would be wise to let you enter," the man said with uncertainty in his voice.  
  
Suddenly the hooded figure that leaned on the woman for support began to cough violently. He was loudly gasping for air, drawing heavy, shuddering breaths. The soldier looked at him with compassion in his eyes. Little did he no that this was the signal for Tulrah's men to attack.  
  
A loud scream came from the guards that were patrolling on the city walls "We are being attacked!", they screamed. "All soldiers to their main gate!"  
  
The guardsman looked ahead and spotted in a hundred meter distance, about hundred dangerous looking men, storming into the direction of the gate with their swords poised to strike.  
  
He couldn't let those two pitiful travellers die in this fight, defenceless and weak as they were. "Get inside! Quickly!" he ordered them and drew his sword ready to face the attackers that were storming towards them.  
  
As the fight broke loose and the area around the main gate became alive with nervous activity, nobody paid attention to the two cloaked figures who quickly sneaked by, unnoticed by anybody. While they swiftly made their way through the city, they heard hectic screaming and saw soldiers rush past them with determined, grim looks on their faces.  
  
Selina new with absolute certainty that Tulrah's men would be on the loosing side of this fight. By going on this mission they had willingly accepted their own death sentence, cruelly spoken by their vicious master. The soldiers of Minas-Tirith were well trained and even Turah's best men couldn't compete with the advantage the strong walls of the citadel posed.  
  
She sadly shook her head, regretting that so many lives would be extinguished tonight, because of the dangerous insanity of one man. She couldn't think of any moment in which she had hated her brother more. He was a ruthless killer and literally walked over dead bodies, in order to achieve his goals.  
  
The way towards the palace was leading upwards and behind them they could see a stream of torches rushing towards the area were the fight was raging.  
  
"So you got us in, but the outcome of this whole mission seems rather uncertain and shaky to me. I mean, two people against an entire city, excuse my question, but isn't that a little bit pretentious?" she asked Tulrah while they were running.  
  
He grinned at her, obviously good-humoured, because he was getting closer and closer to holding the eye staff in his greedy hands, "Have you seen anybody who tried to stop us?"  
  
"But what about inside of the palace? Don't you think that the king will have the treasure chamber heavily guarded? And how do you think we will find it at all?" she enquired with raised eyebrows.  
  
He stopped running and looked at her, his eyes sparkling dangerously in the dark. He was a predator on the hunt, thirsting for blood and pray. "Actually I'm counting on it. I can handle a few twenty men myself and I think it's also high time you made yourself useful. As to how we will get there - I have my followers everywhere. Or how did you suppose I knew where to find the palace? Now stop asking me those pesky question or I will slit you throat at the next word I hear coming out of your incessantly babbling mouth!" he hissed at her, his hand lying threateningly on the hilt of his sword.  
  
After a few minutes they entered the palace through a huge doorway. They were careful not to make any sound at all, rushing over the courtyard towards their destination, protected from curious eyes by the darkness of the night. Their keen senses told them when they had company and special carefulness was required, so they could easily evade the danger of being detected.  
  
They finally stood before a small door that was obviously mainly used by servants. An old man opened them quickly and motioned them to come in. His features were illuminated by the flickering light of a candle he held in his hands. His face was fallen, there were bags under his blood shot eyes and he had a bitter touch around his mouth. His narrow eyes briefly looked at Selina with distrust, but he decided on staying silent and not asking any questions. He walked ahead and let them quickly through the dark palace.  
  
"I will not go any further with you! You have to walk down the next corridor, then turn left and you will be right in front of the treasure chamber where the eye staff is kept, " the old man announced finally and turned to leave, but was quickly stopped by a huge hand that wrapped around his arm in a vicelike grip. The servant's eyes widened in shock and he looked at Tulrah questioningly.  
  
"Old fool," Tulrah laughed, "did you think this was the only service you would do me? You will be my hostage. This is the reward you get for betraying your people. Now move!"  
  
Selina's heart was pounding like it wanted to break her chest as they got closer and closer to the treasure chamber, the place were the destiny of Middle-Earth would be sealed. The tiny hairs on the back of her neck raised and the foreboding of the fight that was about to come ran as a unpleasant shiver through her tense body.  
  
As they stepped around the last corner the heads of twenty men whipped around in unison and they started at the intruders with open hostility in their eyes. The guards were all heavily armed and their polished armour shimmered in the light of the torches that illuminated the corridor.  
  
Tulrah let out a humourless laugh, full of cruelty and malice, his huge frame towering threateningly a few inches over the human soldiers, "Excuse us, but we have lost our way. You can't possible tell us where we will find the treasure chamber, can you?"  
  
The soldiers drew their swords in response and glared at the insolent man angrily. "Now, now were are your manners?", he forcefully drew the old servant towards himself and one of his huge hands closed tightly around his throat, so that the man began to squirm desperately under his firm grip. "Look what I found here, a little worm. Maybe I should crush him with my fist." He raised his arm, so that the dangling feet of the servant hovered a few inches over the ground. His head was already becoming red and loud gasps for air were coming from his gaping mouth.  
  
The soldiers looked at the cruel spectacle in horror, frozen in place. The had seen a lot during the time in which they had been serving Gondor, but the cruelty and viciousness of this man-beast was incomparable to anything they had experienced before.  
  
Tulrah's red eyes were sparkling like rubies and a evil grin spread over his face. Selina was standing next to him and had to witness everything helplessly. Tulrah stifled a fake yawn, "I thought taking a hostage would be a little bit more exciting, but this is just plain and simple boring. I'm not amused." With a hefty yank of his hand he killed the poor man and the terrifying sound of cracking bones could be heard, as his spine broke. Tulrah let the body slump to the floor unceremoniously and kicked it out of the way with his foot.  
  
For a second there was absolute silence in the corridor. Then all hell broke loose as the soldiers stormed at them, crying angrily.  
  
~  
  
When Legolas and Sulrathi arrived at the main gate of Minas-Tirith, they were greeted by the sight of dead bodies and blood covering the ground everywhere. The she-panther let out a low growl that was full of disgust, as her nose smelt the mingled scents of blood and death. Though she was a dangerous predator she would never be able to wreak as much havoc as the humans did.  
  
It must have only been a matter of minutes until all of Tulrah's men had been killed by the guards of the citadel, as Legolas only spotted five or six dead soldiers with the insignia of the White Tower on their uniforms, lying lifelessly in the midst of the dead attackers. The elf shook his head sadly as his horse passed the ground on which the victims of the massacre lay slain and finally arrived at the main gate.  
  
"You have chosen a bad time for your visit, Master Elf!" a guard addressed him. The soldier was bleeding from an angry gash at his forehead and his once shining armour was stained by dirt and blood.  
  
"I am Legolas Greenleaf, son of King Thandruil, Prince of Mirkwood, you will recognise my name and my title, as I am a friend of your king. Now let me pass, because I have an important mission to fulfil and every minute could decide over life and death!"  
  
The guard nodded quickly and stepped aside. The elf rode past him in a hurry with a black panther following suit on tail. The soldier raised his brows in astonishment, would wonders never sees this night? First the two strange travellers, then this handful of men, foolish enough to attack one of the most powerful strongholds of Middle-Earth and now the Prince of Mirkwood who travelled in company of a black panther. 


	26. Like a phoenix from the flames

Chapter 26: Like a phoenix from the flames  
  
The guard was attacking her with angry blows and Selina was trying her best to fight him off without inflicting any serious wounds on him, so that at least he would be saved from the terrible fate of his companions who fell pray to Tulrah's insatiable bloodlust. He skilfully wielded his sword with one hand and the other one cut mercilessly through everything that came in the way of his sharp claws. Somehow she managed to knock the soldier out cold and his unconscious body slumped to the floor.  
  
Her daggers hung unused at her belt, to make sure she didn't kill anybody in this fight by accident. Her brother didn't notice that she refrained from using her weapons, because he was seized by the rush of blood spilling and fighting.  
  
She had a brief moment to catch her breath, then the next attacker stormed at her and she greeted him with a roundhouse kick that momentarily knocked the air out of his sails. He gasped and staggered a bit, but after a few seconds he attacked anew. She was able to evade his sword strikes easily, as her reflexes warned her of every blow he would aim at her. She knocked the weapon out of the soldiers hands and dealt a hefty blow to his stomach. He lost consciousness immediately and collapsed on the floor.  
  
After a few minutes all of their attackers were taken care of. Either they were unconscious or they had been slaughtered by Tulrah's brutal hands. Selina was breathing heavily and as the adrenaline of the fight slowly left her system, she became aware that she was bleeding from numerous cuts. Those were the signs of gratitude that the soldiers showed her for sparing their lives. An ironic smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.  
  
She turned to Tulrah who was standing in the middle of the corridor, grinning from ear to ear. His face and hands were covered in the blood of his victims and the sneer that was plastered on his face made him look like a creature that had crawled out of the deepest pits of Mordor. It took all her willpower to fight down the overwhelming feeling of nausea and disgust she felt when she looked at him.  
  
He let out a hideous laugh, "Well, that was exciting! Nothing like a little fight to make you feel all warm and tingly inside," clapped her on the back, his hand leaving a bloody imprint on her bare shoulder, no longer covered by the huge cloak which she had shedded at some point of the fight. She stared at the mark with open disgust and her hands unconsciously shot up to wipe it away.  
  
"I think we have wasted enough time with those weak humans, now lets go get the eye staff!" Tulrah exclaimed zestfully and marched up to the huge doors which let to the treasure chamber. He ripped them open and was immediately greeted by a blade that was pointing right at his throat. Tulrah let out an angry hiss.  
  
Selina's eyes widened in astonishment as she saw the attacker. It was an elvish woman and probably the most beautiful being she had ever seen in her life. Though the she-elf was dressed like a warrior with her black armour, her long dark hair tight back strictly, ethereal beauty and grace radiate from her. Her intense, blue eyes sparkled dangerously at them as the tip of her sword pressed against Tulrah's throat, slightly cutting his skin in the process, so that a tiny droplets of blood were oozing from the small wound.  
  
"Hello, beautiful!" Tulrah sneered at her, totally unimpressed by the threat she posed to his life. He leered at her appreciatively. "Had I know that you came with the eye staff, believe me, I wouldn't have kept you waiting for so long, darling."  
  
The elvish woman squinted her eyes together disapprovingly and even though she spoke angrily, the words came from her mouth in a melodious and enchanting voice, "I am Arwen, Queen of Gondor and the only thing that was waiting here for you was death by my sword!"  
  
At her words Selina had to suppress a surprise gasp that threatened to escape her mouth. The beautiful she-elf was Aragorn's wife Arwen. She had to protect her from Tulrah's wrath under any circumstances and as he seemed to be obviously fascinated by her, at least this wouldn't turn out all too difficult.  
  
"Oh, beautiful and brave! I like you," Tulrah grinned. "But I would feel much better, if you would put away this nasty little blade," he pointed at the cutlass Arwen was holding in her hands.  
  
With a movement so fast that it was almost undetectable to the human eye, he had wrenched the sword out of the she-elf's grip and pinned her slender frame to the nearest wall, her arms above her head, so that she couldn't move anymore.  
  
This was the point at which Selina decided to intervene. She stepped up to her brother and whispered conspiratorially in his ear, "Just imagine, master, if she was yours.... All the fun you could have with this beautiful body. When you have the eye staff in your hands, she will be your willing slave, reading every wish from your eyes and fulfilling all your desires. You wouldn't want to miss that out, would you? "  
  
Tulrah licked his lips, imagining the extremely delightful scenario Selina had described to him.  
  
"Oh, and the best is yet to come! The irony of it all! She is the Queen of Gondor and will be grovelling at your feet," Selina added.  
  
Tulrah quickly nodded in agreement, "You are right. I will keep her."  
  
"I rather die than being touched by your filthy claws!" Arwen screamed at him, her head held up regally.  
  
"Well, you can't always have what you wish for, beautiful," Tulrah answered dryly and knocked her out cold.  
  
He stepped back from the unconscious form of the she-elf, his eye searching the treasure chamber frenetically for the eye staff. His head shot from side to side like that of a blood-hound, while his back was turned to Selina.  
  
"So it is just the two of us then, brother," Selina said and her eyes shimmered with determination. Now the moment had come, for which she had been waiting for weeks and weeks. She had arrived at the end of her journey, of her hunt. She had found her prey and now she was ready for the kill.  
  
"Yes, what of it?" he answered, distracted by his search for the eye staff.  
  
"Well, thinking about it, it is actually quite funny. It all started with the two of us on that fateful day on the lakeshore of Lakur and now it ends here in the treasure chamber of Minas-Tirith, just moments before you are able to hold the ultimate power in your murderous, disgusting hands. How very unfortunate for you!" she said calmly, unshedding her daggers.  
  
Tulrah turned around and an amused smile played at his mouth, "I should have known. The annoying questions, the constant whining and the incredible self-importance could only mean one thing - my beloved sister is back! It's really a pity, because I liked the new you much better."  
  
"As far as it concerns me, all bonds that we have ever shared, brother," she spat out the last word with disgust, "have been cut. The same blood maybe running through our veins, but apart from that, we have nothing in common."  
  
"Oh, is that so," his eyes sparkled mischievously, "What about this new powers, I saw you use when you saved lover boy? How did it feel? Wasn't it amazing? Come on, admit that you liked it! No need denying it, because I can see it in your eyes." He began to circle her like a predator did with his prey right before it attacked.  
  
Selina answered, never leaving him out of her eye, "I did it, because I wanted to protect him, because I love him. Yes, it was a great feeling to use those powers, but it was terrifying and intoxicating at the same time. It felt like I was standing on a cliff. One false step and I could have fallen to incredible depths. You stumbled and fell into the abyss, Tulrah. Your actions have only been guided by selfish motives, by the most evil urges imaginable. Alone in the little time I spent with you I have come too hate you even more than I had done before. I thought that this wasn't possible after you killed my parents, but you have proven me wrong."  
  
Tulrah drew his sword and look at it with a strange fascination. No matter how many men he killed with it, its blade was always clean, perfect and complete spotless. He cocked his head, his eyes still fixed on the sword and continued to speak, "So you hate me....Well, that comes as a bit of a shock to me," he let out a sarcastic snort, "So tell me if you hate me, you are not possibly doing all of this simply out of vengeance?"  
  
"What if I did? It wouldn't matter, because either way I'm doing this earth a great service if I get rid of you," she pointed at him with the tip of her sharp dagger.  
  
Tulrah rolled his eyes in response, "Come on, don't be so vain! If this is just about vengeance, than sorry, dearest sister, you are not any better than me. Remember the good guys always need honourable motifs. What is yours? Do you honestly care about any being other than you? Would you give your life for this pathetic place we call Middle-Earth? For a mass of nameless faces that doesn't even know of your existence?"  
  
"I know what you are trying to do. You want to lure me into believing that what I'm doing is wrong. Though luck! I saw what you did and I know that by taking your life many others will be saved," Selina answered determinedly, though she knew that his well-aimed words had struck a cord somewhere deep inside of her.  
  
"You know what? This little talk seems rather fruitless to me," he shook his head in mock exasperation, "So can we please skip to the part where I beat you to a bloody pulp? Your stupid, narrow-minded babble makes me all sick inside. Obviously you like being defeated. Well, nothing like getting your ass kicked by good old Tulrah. You didn't learn anything from the last time, now did you?", he said with a vicious gleam in his eyes and attacked with his sword risen, ready to strike her down with it.  
  
Her daggers shot up and blocked his blow right above her head. Sparks flew where their sharp blades met. "A lot has changed since the last time we fought. I'm not as weak as I was back then."  
  
Tulrah growled angrily deep in his throat. Their faces were just inches apart and their eyes fought out a fierce battle in which angry glares and piercing gazes were the weapons. "But you are not nearly strong enough, Selina," he shoved her back and whirled his sword around expertly ready to attack anew. He motioned her with his hand to come closer and she did with an angry scream on her lips. Their fight continued in a constant back and forth. She evaded his deadly blade and whenever the opportunity presented itself, her daggers broke swiftly through his defence. The twin blades made a barely audible swishing noise when they cut the air. A constant rhythm which was only interrupted when they met Tulrah's sword or cut through his flesh. They started circling each other again, both bleeding from several small wounds.  
  
"I must admit that you have gotten better, but I fear your are still not good enough," Tulrah smiled mockingly at her.  
  
"You could never admit that you were loosing, even as a little boy," Selina smirked and shook her head.  
  
The Selvadage'tok warlord let out an angry hiss and stormed at her with a blood chilling scream on his lips. She squinted her eyes together. She had counted on this reaction. Selina swiftly threw one of her daggers and its blade cut mercilessly through the huge, clawed hand that held Tulrah's sword. He let the weapon fall accompanied by a loud clattering noise and clutched his wounded hand, looking at it in wonder. Then he let out a loud laugh and drew the dagger out in one swift movement without even flinching once. Blood was dripping from his hand and the blade.  
  
"Oh, that was nasty, sister. Lets play fair, shall we? No weapons, just like the old times," he said, his voice even and deadly calm.  
  
She nodded and her hand let go of the weapon she held in it, her golden eyes shimmering angrily at Tulrah. He then dealt her a series of mighty punches which she blocked and dodged skilfully.  
  
"My turn," she announced with a deep growl. She aimed her attacks well. A few of them even managed to break Tulrah's defence. One punch hit the sensitive spot between his throat and his chest, knocking the air out of him, followed by an effective kick to his knees that let his huge frame slump to the floor like a felled tree. Before he could move she was sitting on his chest, pinning him down with her weight.  
  
"You don't have the guts to do that. You won't kill me," he managed to get out in between coughs.  
  
"Lets see, shall we?" she said with a dangerous tone in her voice.  
  
Tulrah's eyes darted around nervously, looking for a possibility to save himself from certain death. Maybe if he could reach his sword, or anything he could use as a weapon, he would be able rescue himself from this desperate situation. Then he caught sight of something from the corner of his eye, he had already entirely seized to hope for. The glimmer of a huge precious stone, an amethyst, sitting on a wooden staff. The Eye Staff of Shalakrah! So close, but yet so far out of reach. It was just a few meters away from him, but it could also have been on the other side of the world. He would never be able to reach it.  
  
Then he heard steps approaching, resounding on the stone floor of the corridor. Out of reflex Selina's head whipped around to face the door and she let out a surprised gasp as she saw Legolas and Sulrathi storm in.  
  
But she should pay that one moment of inattention dearly. Tulrah used it to free himself, slashing with his sharp claws over her stomach in the process. She screamed loudly as sharp pain shot into her body, blinding her senses momentarily, so that nothing else existed, but those five burning gashes that stretched over her skin. She looked down and saw blood oozing from the wounds, unstoppable red rivers. Suddenly a cold fear seized her heart and she felt paralysed by it, as it crept into her body.  
  
Legolas was immediately at her side, asking her if she was alright, comforting her and trying to convince her that everything would be alright, but his words were just a faint whisper. Her eyes were searching Tulrah, who was now towering over them with a victorious grin on his face, his arms behind his back.  
  
"Oh, lover boy is back! And I thought you were slowly withering away in your little prison. Will wonders never cease?", he cried out in mock astonishment. "Well, I've got a little surprise for you two," Tulrah sneered and produced the eye staff from behind his back.  
  
An expression of horror appeared on Selina's and Legolas's faces. They had failed! Now everything was lost!  
  
The precious stone on top of the eye staff began to glow in an eerie blue light which got brighter and brighter with each passing second. It formed little tentacles made of pure energy which slowly crept up Tulrah's muscular arm like a grape wine, while he watched in fascination.  
  
"Oh, that feels good," he said, his voice filled with delight, "It is intoxicating and sweet like drinking too much wine, but you keep a clear head. All that energy, that power. I could.."  
  
They never got to hear the next part of his speech because a black shadow, Sulrathi, attacked Tulrah with an angry growl, sinking its sharp fangs deeply into the hand, that held the eye staff. Tulrah cried out in pain and the mystical artefact escaped his grip, falling to the floor with a thudding noise. Sulrathi still had her teeth sunken into his hand, clinking to it like a dog to a tasty bone. With an angry growl Tulrah shook her of. Her body flew through the air and crashed into the nearest stone wall. The she-panther shook her head, dizzy from the impact and got to her feet again. She hissed and attacked anew, this time aiming for the warlord's throat, but he stopped her before she got this far. Selina let out a terrified cry, when she realised what fate was awaiting Sulrathi.  
  
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Tulrah buried his sharp claws deep inside the she-panthers body. Sulrathi let out a cry filled with agony, as her life-force slowly drained from her. He laughed and threw the dying body to the floor in a gesture full of disrespect.  
  
Selina struggled desperately under Legolas's strong, but gentle hands that kept her from trying to foolishly attack her brother anew. "Let me go to her!" she hissed at him. "I have to be with her and ease her passing!" She struggled desperately under his grip.  
  
"This is the fate that awaits those who oppose me. So anybody next in line? I'd love to see you try," Tulrah sneered at them.  
  
The elf threw Selina an apologetic gaze and she knew immediately what he would do. She grasped his hand in a vicelike grip and looked him in the eyes, begging him not to do what they both knew was inevitable. He briefly kissed her forehead and then turned to Tulrah. "Too long have I stood idly by, because fate had tied my hands," Legolas said calmly and got slowly to his feet. He still held the Uruk-hai weapon in his hand. A long blade, curved and made of sharp metal, that was almost black in its colour. The weapon looked grotesque in his hand. An elf with an Uruk-hai sword. "Defend yourself!" Legolas said and took his fighting stance.  
  
Selina's followed the fight with wonder in her eyes. Legolas moved with the grace of a dancer, his movements elegant, precise and ever so deadly. Tulrah's technique appeared in comparison plump and clumsy, but nevertheless he managed to hold his own. Selina pried her gaze from the fight and dragged herself over to Sulrathi, leaving a red trail of blood that marked her way.  
  
She saw her side rise and fall slowly. It was not too late, she was still alive. "I'm here Sulrathi. I'm with you," she said softly, tenderly stroking over the silky black fur of the panther.  
  
"Do not worry for me, my little kitten," the she-panther answered softly, her breath coming unevenly, while it got slower and slower. "I will only leave this world, but not you. Our bond is everlasting and even death will not cut it."  
  
Selina lowered her head so it came to touch Sulrahti's. Her eyes were filled with tears when she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper "But I need you here! You cannot leave. Please, don't go! Please!"  
  
"I have to, Selina," Sulrahti answered sadly. "But do not despair! You have the power to save yourself and Legolas. Reach inside of you, summon your last strength and believe in yourself." For every word and every breath Sulrathi took she had to go through an incredible ordeal. Now that she had said everything she had wanted to, she stopped struggling and gave into the sweet surrender of death.  
  
"Sulrahti!" Selina let out an anguished cry.  
  
"Goodbye, my little kitten," the she-panther said affectionately and closed her golden eyes forever.  
  
Selina felt like she was suffocating. Her whole body was shaking as it was overwhelmed by a mixture of different feelings. Pain, grief and anger bubbled up inside of her and washed through her like a mighty tidal wave. The intensity of those feeling almost overpowering. She let out a loud scream, that came from the depths of her soul, filled with all the emotions that burdened her heart.  
  
The two men stopped fighting and turned to face the figure that was sitting on the floor with her back to them. The stone tiles around her were covered with blood, partly her own and partly that of the dead panther. Her back was falling and rising in rapid breaths. Then she slowly raised to her feet and turned around. Her face like a stone mask, but her eyes pitch black pools filled with an ancient power. When her voice spoke it was like it were a hundred voices at once, the sound of it almost unbearable. Tulrah cringed visibly. The voice entered his body through every pore and resounded there eternally. It was frightening and overwhelming. Legolas observed the whole scene with astonishment shining in his bright blue eyes.  
  
"You have meddled with forces you should not have awoken, Selvadage'tok."  
  
Tulrah whimpered and slumped to his knees. This voice inside his head could not be silenced. It repeated Selina's words over and over again.  
  
She stepped to the spot were the eye staff lay and took it in her hands. It reacted immediately to her touch and glowed with the intensity of a lighting, blinding everybody in the room momentarily.  
  
"Behold and receive your punishment," Selina's voice announced.  
  
Blue swirls of energy crept out of the eye staff like smoke. First they were chaotic and undefined, but then they took different forms. Small figures appeared and they got clearer and clearer with each passing moment. A bear, a fox, an eagle, a wolf, a lion... in short every creature imaginable seemed to manifest in those swirls of pure energy.  
  
"Nature is angry," the Selvadage'tok woman's resounded in the treasure chamber like thunder.  
  
The lion growled deeply and the bear bared his sharp teeth threateningly. Tulrah slowly took a few steps back, raising his arms in a defensive gesture, but the creatures got closer and closer. A few inches away from him their figures, shimmering with the blue energy, came to a stop, hovering over the ground like terrifying ghosts. Then they attacked. Their incorporeal bodies shot inside of Tulrah's huge frame which struggled against them desperately. Every muscles in his body clenched and unclenched as violent tremors accompanied by shrill screams of endless pain, raged through him. Huge wounds appeared everywhere on his skin. One looked like the imprint of the sharp teeth of a predator, the other like a violent scratch inflicted by sharp and deadly claws. His body raised in a last desperate fight and then lay completely still, never to move again.  
  
Selina's breath calmed slowly. Each time she exhaled she felt like some of the power she had summoned left her. The strength, which had run through her veins only moments before, was now leaving her and made room to the burning pain, which radiated from her uncountable wounds. She exhaled again and the last remains of the borrowed power left her. Selina felt dizzy and slightly light-headed. Her surroundings were only a blur, everything looked foreign and distorted. She saw a face hovering in front of her and faintly heard a voice calling to her, but it was all so far away. She staggered and then collapsed in Legloas's arms.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, let me tell something about my detail routine. I run to the computer each day, check my mail and afterwards I always have a happy smile plastered over my face, because I have received so many incredible nice, awesome and very helpful reviews (Thank you so much!) You guys are simple the greatest! I have been writing on this chapter for what seemed like a thousand years and I'm so happy it's finally ready. I hope you like it and I'll try to update as soon as possible! 


	27. A voice is calling me

Chapter 27: A voice is calling me  
  
Selina was floating in a pool. It was crystal clear and cool. The water was soothing her chaotic thoughts, caressing her skin softly. The rhythmic dabbling of the small waves, which slightly rippled the surface, was a calming mantra repeating itself over and over again. Her peace was only disturbed when the voices approached her ears. Sometimes they were far away, sometimes they were very close.  
  
"She does not look well. I will do what I can, but I do not no if I can help her."  
  
"Do not leave me, melamin /my love/."  
  
"We have to change the bandages."  
  
"If you don't save her, my axe will hack your palace to pieces, Aragorn!"  
  
"Do not leave me."  
  
"Your will is mightier than any magic, so do not give up now. Be strong and fight!"  
  
She wasn't afraid of those voices. They came and went. They were only ghosts whispering in her ears. But one of those voices was very incessant. It always got her attention and lured her into listening with its soft, melodic tone. Sometimes she felt like it was calling to her, as if it wanted that her to leave her sanctuary of peacefulness and harmony behind.  
  
She was not ready yet. Something dark was lurking on the lakeshore, waiting for her patiently, but she was save for now. Selina didn't have the strength to face it yet.  
  
"Just a little while longer," she said to herself and closed her eyes, enjoying the cool sensation of the water against her skin.  
  
~  
  
Legolas was sitting on a chair next to Selina's bed, waiting patiently for her to awake. He blinked rapidly, fighting against the incredible tiredness and exhaustion that filled every fibre of his being. It had been four days since Selina lost consciousness. Four days in which he had adamantly refused to leave her side, ignoring all the well-meant attempts of his friends to convince him to get some sleep himself. He sat at her bed when Aragorn changed her bandages, when Arwen or Gimli came to ask how Selina was and when Gandalf paid her a visit. He saw the sun set and rise in front of the window for what seemed to him a thousand times. Those four days felt like years to him.  
  
Legolas had barely touched any food or drink that was offered to him, his eyes always fixed on Selina's face. Everything else but her had lost importance to him and faded into nothingness.  
  
Her face was almost as pale as the linens, looking like a perfectly polished marble mask, peaceful and calm in her sleep. How much would he have given for even the tiniest movement from her, something to give him new hope and the strength to continue, but apart from the constant falling and rising of her chest, she lay completely still, motionless like a statue.  
  
Aragorn had informed the elf yesterday that her wounds were healing nicely and she was no longer in any danger, nevertheless she had not awaken yet. She should have regained consciousness by now. If her body was regenerating itself, the reason for her current state had to lie elsewhere.  
  
The wait seemed to be endless. Something inside of Legolas snapped. He couldn't take it anymore. The complete silence of the room was slowly driving him crazy and when he finally spoke is voice sounded strange and foreign to him.  
  
"So this is the fate you will for us. Is this the end we both shall take?" he sighed and caressed her cheek with his hand.  
  
"I wish there was anything for me to do. I would run to the end of the world and back for you, I would even face the dangers of Mordor, but all I can do is wait and watch you sleeping. Every second is longer than a century, every breath I take is painful, because you are not with me. Please, I beg you, do not leave me now!" he paused and looked at her expectantly as if he waited for her to answer, but no words came from her pale lips.  
  
He closed his eyes, fighting down the grief that burdened his heart. His voice was shaky and heavy with emotions when he continued to speak. "Whatever fate holds in store for us, I am with you. But if there is any strength left in you, please fight! Fight for the both of us! I do not want it to end like this," he took her hand in his.  
  
"There is so much I would like to show to you, so many things for us to discover. This is a new world for me. You have changed it, made it a better place, because you are in it. I need you to guide me, because without you I will be lost like a child. I need your laughter to brighten my days, your smile to warm my heart and your wisdom to teach me. All those years I have lived, everything I have experienced, seems meaningless, now that I have seen your light.  
  
I am probably selfish to ask those things from you, maybe you are in a better place now where you feel neither pain nor grief nor sorrow. But my world is full of it. It is suffocating me with every breath I take."  
  
His eyes filled with tears which he had not spilled in centuries. The pain inside of him was almost overwhelming. He tenderly kissed her on the forehead. A single tear trailed down his cheek and fell on her face like a rain drop.  
  
He still held her hand in his and he almost let out a surprised gasp as he felt the ghost of her movement caress his fingers. It could have been only his imagination, but the spark of hope was rekindled inside of him. His eyes fixed on their entwined hands and squinted together in concentration. He unconsciously held his breath. It had not been a trick his senses played on him. Her index finger was slowly moving over his skin. He let out a cry of joy and placed a tender kiss inside her palm.  
  
Legolas leaned his forehead against hers and his voice had a desperate and imploring tone to it when he spoke again, "Please, try! I know that you can do it. Come back to me! Come back to me, melamin /my love/!"  
  
A shudder ran through her whole body. He sat up and looked at her expectantly, his heart racing in his chest. Then her golden eyes fluttered open and looked directly in his. A smile spread over his face, washing away the sorrow and the exhaustion that had been there only seconds before.  
  
Selina's head was still dizzy from her long sleep. Her senses were flooded by a million different sensations at once and needed a brief moment to adjust themselves. The soothing coolness of the pool was gone. She was now lying on a huge and comfortable bed. She let her hand glide over the soft surface of the luxurious pillows. In front of her sat a handsome elf with a beautiful smile on his face, full of affection and love. His eyes bore into hers, letting her look deep into his very soul.  
  
Then she remembered, as if his gaze had broken a spell that had clouded her memory. The happenings of the last days stormed at her, unfolding before her eyes once again, becoming clearer and clearer. They had completed their mission successfully, but they had paid dearly for it. Sulrathi was dead and she had killed somebody. Not just any person, but what made matters worse, her own brother.  
  
She looked at the elf in front of her full of insecurity and fear. His mere presence was soothing and his love shone at her like a bright light in the darkness. Selina immediately relaxed a bit. He had been her only ever-present constant in this chaotic world and had guided her through those difficult times. She would always love him, nothing would ever be able to change that, but would their love be enough to help her fight against the despair that had seized her heart and taken it in its iron grip? Could he make the ghosts of the past disappear by just taking her into his arms? Could he shelter her for from those emotions that were lurking in the depths of her soul? She was not ready to face them yet and would not speak to anyone about it.  
  
Her voice was shaky and hoarse when she spoke his name, it was a secret ply for help, "Legolas?"  
  
~  
  
Within the few moments the little room was crowded by visitors. Alarmed by the commotion that could be heard from inside, Aragorn, Gandalf and Gimli stormed in. They hugged her enthusiastically, almost crushing her bones in the process. Now the three men were looking at her, grinning happily from ear to ear.  
  
"It's good to see you awake and well," Aragorn exclaimed.  
  
"Aye, I can see why you're happy, Master Aragorn. Now that your castle will be spared from my wrath and my sharp axe," the dwarf said in a joking tone.  
  
Gandalf squeezed her hand affectionately, "I knew you had the strength in you to overcome this last obstacle."  
  
"Thank you! All of you!" Selina said with a smile grazing her fair features.  
  
Gimli nervously shifted his weight from one foot to the other as if he had something to say.  
  
"Come on, spit it out, dwarf," Selina said to him good-naturedly.  
  
He reached into his pocket, rummaging inside of it, searching for a particular item he had hidden there. After a few seconds he produced a golden chain with a ruby pendant to it. It was a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. The precious stone sparkled in the sun, encompassed by tiny golden leaves that formed its delicate setting. Gimli shyly opened her hand and laid the piece of jewellery inside of it. "This is a gem I found during my visit to the Glittering Caves. It reminded me of your fiery spirit, because it equalled its wild and untamed nature. I wanted you to have it."  
  
A beautiful smile lit up Selina's face and she kissed her friend on the cheek affectionately, "This is the most beautiful present I have ever received. Thank you so much, Gimli."  
  
The dwarf rubbed his head nervously. "Well, I had a lot of time on my hands in the last few days and I had to keep myself busy somehow..," he trailed of, mumbling incoherent things into his beard.  
  
"Maybe, we should leave now. Selina will surely need some rest, because she is still weakened by her injuries," Aragorn announced and was about to usher everybody, including a grudgingly obeying Legolas, outside the room.  
  
Selina dreaded the idea of being alone. Then she would have to face her demons, sort out the turmoil of emotions raging inside of her. "Wait!", she exclaimed, her voice sounding almost desperate.  
  
Her friends didn't notice anything unusual about her behaviour. They were just happy that she desired to stay in their company a little longer and did not sent them away after they spent four endless days in agonising uncertainty about the fact whether she would survive or not. Only Legolas began to become suspicious. A shadow flitted over his fair face, as he briefly wondered why he felt like something wasn't alright with her. 


	28. The greatest adventure

Chapter 28: The greatest adventure  
  
Selina was sitting on a bench in the palace garden. The sun was shining brightly and a warm breeze played with her long auburn hair. An intoxicating and sweet smell was filling the air, coming from the uncountable flowers that were blossoming everywhere. The bright laughter of children filled the garden, as a small boy and girl were running happily on the green lawn in front of her. The sight of the playing children evoked painful memories inside of her.  
  
~  
  
A little girl was staring with fearful eyes out of the window, while outside a thunderstorm was raging. The wind was sweeping through the trees with a loud howl, bending them back and forth. She sucked in her breath when thunder bathed the scenery in broad light and every muscle in her small body tensed. Her eyes were as huge as saucers. Her big brother Tulrah, he was only one year older than her, stepped up to her and soothingly took her little hand in his. She clung to him like to a lifeline.  
  
"I'm afraid," her shaky voice announced timidly.  
  
"You don't have to be. We are save inside the house," he said puffing his chest bravely. He would never let any harm come on his little sister.  
  
"But the thunder..."  
  
"Don't you know that it is only the Valar practising their skills? If they don't do it from time to time they get rusty. They don't mean any harm by it. It is like when father practises with his sword. They just want to stay in shape, you know," he explain, while she looked up to him with a gaze full of admiration, listening to every word he said intently, completely forgetting about the thunderstorm that had terrified her so much only moments ago.  
  
~  
  
The little boy tackled the girl playfully and they fell to the ground with a loud giggle. The rolled around on the lawn, tickling each other mercilessly, their laughter resounding in the quiet garden. A single tear trailed down Selina's cheek and she suppressed a sob. She missed him.  
  
~  
  
It was Turlah's twelfth birthday and their father had made him a little wooden toy sword. The boy was practising on the lawn in front of their house, fighting an invisible opponent, his cheeks flushed by the exertion and excitement. Selina was sitting on a huge tree trunk her legs dangling from it, while she watched him interestedly. If she asked her father nicely maybe he would make her a sword, too.  
  
Tulrah turned around and grinned at her, "Someday I will be the best warrior in the word. No one will be a better sword fighter than me."  
  
She held her head up proudly and announced, "And I will be a mighty shaman and marry the most handsome man of the valley."  
  
"You want to marry someday? Yuck! Besides a warrior is way better than a shaman," he said with determination.  
  
"He is not!" she protested.  
  
"He is too!" he retorted more fiercely.  
  
"Well, lets say shamans and warriors are even," the little girl shrugged her shoulders trying to mediate.  
  
"A warrior is better and that's my last word," Tulrah crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly.  
  
~  
  
"Ha, give up! You have got no chance!" the boy exclaimed between laughs, while he continued to tickle his playmate. "Never!", she squealed with delight ringing in her voice.  
  
Selina's tears were now falling freely. She had neither the strength nor the will to hold them back any longer. All those happy memories of her childhood days passed before her eyes. Of times when Tulrah had comforted her, when he had told her stories to chase away her fears or had been her partner in crime in one of the uncountable pranks they had played on unsuspecting adults. A melancholic smile tugged at the corner of her mouth when she remember those days, but almost immediately her mind was assaulted by the memory of his dead body lying lifelessly at her feet, his glassy eyes wide open in horror and fresh tears welled up inside of her.  
  
~  
  
Selina and Tulrah were preparing for the coming-of-age ceremony. They straightened their clothes and made sure they had everything with them they would need.  
  
"I will beat you by lengths sister. I will be the first to arrive at the lakeshore," he said with determination in his voice.  
  
"First of all I would worry about whether we will get there at all. And secondly, I don't intend to let you win this one easily, brother," she answered in a playful tone.  
  
He slapped her on the shoulder affectionately, "Well, good luck to you." He paused and then added with a smirk, "And don't be disappointed if I steal you the show."  
  
She ruffled through his hair "We will see, Tulrah."  
  
Tulrah's grin fell when a new thought came to his mind and his expression got very serious.  
  
"I' m afraid what will happen if I drink from the bowl. My friends told me it would be painful."  
  
"People talk a lot," she replied calmly.  
  
"Yes, but it is said that you will receive incredible powers if you drink more than just one draught of the sanctified water. Don't you wonder what will happen if....."  
  
"No!" she interrupted him with an mortified expression on her face. "It could be very dangerous and nobody has ever tried it before. There is no telling what might happen!"  
  
"You talk like a true shaman, but don't you long for some excitement in your life? We are young and got our whole life in front of us, but yet again we are trapped in this dull valley. I swear I know every inch of it, even with closed eyes. Don't you think it's high time we experienced something new and get out of here?" Tulrah asked with excitement ringing in his voice.  
  
"You know that I wish nothing more than to finally see the rest of Middle- Earth, but I will not break the ancient rules. The last time we got in contact with the other races it ended in disaster. Just remember the what they told us about the Eye Staff of Shalakrah. You have to promise me that you won't do anything foolish just because your curious! Don't drink more from the water than you are allowed to! " Selina said to him, her voice very serious.  
  
"Alright, I promise," he answered, though he was not sure whether he could resist the temptation and keep his word to her.  
  
~  
  
Legolas was walking through the palace garden, searching for Selina. In the last days she had often been distraught, her eyes full of grief and sadness. He had often asked her what aggrieved her so, but she had always shook her head and said that it was nothing. He was desperately trying to reach her, but he couldn't help her if she didn't let him in.  
  
He found her sitting on a bench under a blossoming jasmine bush. Tears were running down her beautiful face incessantly, her pain a sharp contrast to the beauty that surrounded her. Legolas sat down next to her, gathering her in his arms wordlessly. He stroke her head soothingly, murmuring elvish words of comfort in her ear to calm her.  
  
Her whole body was shaking with sobs and she repeated again and again, "I killed him. I killed him." He rocked her back and forth in his arms like a frightened child and she cried till tears refused to come.  
  
"What have I done? He was my brother and I killed him," Selina said in a shaky voice.  
  
"There was no other choice," Legolas replied.  
  
"There always is. I'm a murderer," she looked at her hands as if she could see the blood on them, "I'm the lowest creature that has ever walked this earth. I don't deserve this life. Neither the friendship that has been offered to me so freely nor your love."  
  
"Do not say such things! You are the most amazing person I ever met in my life," he said and looked her deeply in the eyes to emphasis his words.  
  
She let out a humourless snort, "Then you haven't been around people a lot, haven't you?"  
  
"The people I met in my long life are as numerous as the stars in the evening sky, but your light is the brightest of all. You are a child at heart and yet you have the wisdom of the old, wild as the raging sea and at the same time calm like a mountain lake, a mystery and yet an open book to read. I look at you and see all the wonders of this world. How can I ever turn my head on you? How can I ever look away, when your soul is so beautiful?", he said in a serious tone that made clear he meant every word he said.  
  
Selina turned looked at him and emphasis every word she said clearly, "I killed my own brother. What does that make of me?"  
  
"I have seen numerous battles. The blood of Orcs, Uruk-hai and men sticks to my hands and I will never be able to wash it off. I fought evil, but nevertheless I extinguished lives that were filled with dreams, hopes, expectations and love. What does that make of me?"  
  
She looked at him with big eyes, unable to answer his question.  
  
"I do not take pleasure in fighting and killing. I mourn every life I take, as you do, but imagine what would have happened if we would not have stopped Tulrah. We all would be his slaves by now, our will would be broken, all the dreams we ever had, shattered. His rule of chaos would destroy this beautiful world.  
  
Did we do the right thing? Maybe. Taking a life can never be right. We will have to live with the knowledge that we have killed somebody and try to redeem ourselves daily. There are no words of comfort I can offer to you. I cannot tell you that you have done the right thing. I can only reassure you that you have saved many lives in the process and protected this world from evil.  
  
If you had not stopped him Sulrathi's sacrifice would have been in vain. She would have died and I would not have made any difference."  
  
Selina remembered the panther and the words she had said to her. She had wanted them to survive, to be able to continue their lives after the battle would have been fought. If she gave up now she would throw away, the gift her friend had made her.  
  
"You are right," she said and exhaled heavily.  
  
"Can I ask you a favour?" Legolas said looking her deeply in the eye.  
  
"Yes, anything," Selina answered and a brief smile flitted over her face.  
  
"Please, do not ever shut me out again. I can sense the sadness in you and it pains me if I cannot help you ease it, melamin."  
  
"Never again," she promised and kissed him on the cheek tenderly. She let her hand glide through a straight of his blond hair and when she looked at him, an overwhelming feeling of love rose inside of her, warming her soul and chasing away the darkness that had held her in its grip for the last days. A huge grin spread over her face, "So, I hear Mirkwood is a nice place this time of the year."  
  
He let out a warm laugh, filled with relief about the fact that she was obviously getting better, "Yes, but unfortunately we have a little spider problem at our hands."  
  
"How highly unfortunate!" she said smilingly, her face hovering just inches away from his. "Well, I just might now the right person to help you. She's good with all sorts of animals, I heard," her voice was a husky whisper as they got closer and closer.  
  
"Oh, is that so? You are not suggesting, by chance, that we go on a new hunt, are you? Because I most certainly had my share for the next millennia," Legolas smiled jokingly.  
  
"No," Selina answered, while she stroke his cheek tenderly "to go hunting means either chasing after things you want to have or looking for adventure. I have made the best prey there is ", she paused briefly and placed her hand over his chest, "your heart. I already have everything I need, because l love you. Love is the greatest adventure of all and I have the best companion with me for it. " She closed the distance between them and they shared a sweet kiss that made them completely forget the world around them.  
  
~  
  
The two children, Nathan and Theodora, who had been happily playing on the lawn only moments before, stood there and looked at the kissing couple with a strange fascination.  
  
"Yuck! I can't see why anybody would want to kiss a girl," Nathan said his nose cringed in disgust. "She's all pretty, but nevertheless I wouldn't want to do that," he pointed with his finger at the two lovers, who were oblivious to the presence of the two, lost in their own little world, whispering to each other with hushed voices.  
  
The girl had a stars in her eyes, when she spoke, "They are the most beautiful couple I have ever seen! I have heard that she was sick and he sat at her bed all the time. It is so romantic!" she squealed excitedly.  
  
Nathan let out an annoyed huff and rolled his eyes, "Girls!"  
  
Theodora's head whipped around and a angry frown was on her small face, "You are so insensitive. You will never ever get a girl to like you and much less be your girlfriend."  
  
"Well, maybe, I don't want to," he stuck out his tongue at her and sprinted off.  
  
"Don't you think you will get away with that," she exclaimed and chased after him.  
  
THE END  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Good bye to you, the best readers and reviewers in the world! I hope you had as much fun as I had with this story. I'm a bit sad that it's over now, but, well, this way I will have time to start something new. The best wishes to you and take care! Bye! 


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